Ryan Picone

Ryan Picone is a performer and guitar instructor with twenty years of professional experience. He has performed professionally at many venues, including Town Hall-New York, Dakota Jazz Club - Minnesota, and South by Southwest-Texas. Ryan’s teaching experience comes from his involvement with guitar programs at academic institutions and nonprofit organizations, including Glendale Community College, Arizona State University, University of Minnesota, Minnesota Guitar Society, Sounds Academy, and Lead Guitar. 

After completing his Master's Degree with guitarist Frank Koonce at Arizona State University, Ryan went on to study with Lorenzo Micheli in Lugano, Switzerland, at Conservatorio della Svizzera italiana. When Ryan returned to the US, he worked with jazz guitarist Howard Alden before moving to Minneapolis to continue his education. 

Ryan completed his Doctorate of Musical Arts at the University of Minnesota with a secondary focus in composition in Spring 2023 under Alex Lubet, Guerino Mazzola, Matt Rahaim and Scott Currie. Ryan since March 2020 has been studying with film composer Stephane Wrembel and is still under his mentorship.

In 2023 Ryan completed a new method book based on several things he learned from his academic advisors at the UOM and Stephane Wrembel. The book is titled is - The Compass Method and is scheduled for a 2024 release date.

In Summer of 2023, Ryan recorded his first album with his group-The Ryan Picone Quartet at Wild Sound Studios. The album is scheduled to be released December 2, 2023. 

Ryan started teaching at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University as the new guitar professor in 2022. Then in Fall of 2023, Ryan received a fulltime position as the director of Jazz Studies at CSBSJ.

Currently, at CSBSJU he has developed a new approach around teaching guitar that involves performance, ensemble, improvisation, individual interests building, harmonic theory, ear training, music interpretation and technique. Ryan's new guitar curriculum was developed so that after just one semester each student would have the necessary skills to continue their musical journey, after just one semester.

Ryan believes in mentorship and realizes the importance of music education. In his guitar studio every student has their own curriculum that is build around their interests and goals.