Hailing from Greater Los Angeles, Ryan Phipps is a diverse artist and educator. Ryan has performed in masterclasses with artists such as Mark Summer (Turtle Island Quartet), Brant Taylor (Chicago Symphony), Julie Albers (Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra), the Pacifica Quartet, the JACK Quartet, and Trio Solisti. Ryan holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Cello Performance from Marshall University, a Master of Music Degree in Cello Performance from West Virginia University, and an Artist Diploma from California State University, Fullerton. 

An avid chamber musician, Ryan has performed with various ensembles during his studies. As a member of the award-winning Montani Quartet at WVU, Ryan taught and performed at the prestigious Interlochen Fine Arts Camp in 2019. Ryan is a founding member of the Studio City String Quartet. He also performs as a section member in several local ensembles including Whittier Regional Orchestra (Whittier, CA), Shekinah Ensemble (Anaheim, CA), Orchestra Collective of Orange County (Brea, CA) Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (Los Angeles, CA), and Liminal Voices and Orchestra (Los Angeles, CA). He is deeply passionate about new music and has premiered many works throughout his career. You can hear Ryan on Peso Pluma’s debut performance at the 2023 Video Music Awards. He also moonlights as a violist and keyboardist with Los Angeles indie band Linen and is developing his indie acid-bluegrass project, Test Chemical.

As an educator, Ryan is focused on his growing studio, CelloLab LA, and directs the Intermezzo and Symphony Orchestras as well as the Middle School Chamber Ensemble at Sinai Akiba Academy. Ryan has served as faculty and guest artist at the West Virginia Governor’s School for the Arts and was a faculty member at Renaissance Arts Academy. Ryan’s primary teachers have been Cynthia Puls, Dr. Solen Dikener, Dr. Erin Ellis, Bongshin Ko, and Daniel Rothmuller. In his free time, Ryan enjoys live music and comedy, traveling, learning about philosophy and cosmology, and craft beer.