A native of Western Massachusetts, Ryan O'Connell is a first-year master’s student at the New England Conservatory and a recent graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. While at UMass, he earned a BM in Trumpet Performance and a BM in Music Education. Ryan has performed with various ensembles across the state including the Berkshire Symphony, New England Conservatory Philharmonia, and Panopera Music Company. In addition to these ensembles, Ryan has performed at some of the country's leading performing venues including Boston Symphony Hall, Jordan Hall, and the Grand Ole Opry. A versatile musician, Ryan is classically trained and has strong experience playing in the jazz and funk idioms as well. His primary influences include Eric Berlin, Roger Farnsworth, Thomas Hooten, and Phil Smith.