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GYAN RILEY
 Gyan Riley, born in northern California in 1977, has
emerged as a prominent figure of guitar and contemporary music, both as a
performer and composer. In 1999, he became the first graduate level
guitarist ever to be awarded a full merit-based scholarship from the San
Francisco Conservatory of Music. Gyan's awards include First Prize in the
Portland International Guitar Festival Competition, First Prize in the San
Francisco Conservatory Guitar Concerto Competition, and First Prize in the
Music in the Mountains Young Musicians Competition. Gyan played in the
American premiere of John Adams El Nino, with David Tanenbaum,
soprano Dawn Upshaw, and the San Francisco Symphony. Concert tours have
taken him to some of the world's most prestigious concert halls in the UK,
Germany, Austria, Italy, France, Croatia, Turkey, Norway, and throughout the
United States. Gyan tours regularly with the Europe based World Guitar Ensemble, the Los Angeles based Falla Guitar Trio, and father/composer/pianist Terry Riley. Gyan has been commissioned to write various works, some of
which were released on Gyan's debut CD Food for the Bearded, on the
New Albion record label. Following Gyan's recent solo appearance at
Carnegie Recital Hall, he was invited to premiere a newly commissioned solo
original work as part of a performance for the 2006 New York Guitar
Festival. Gyan served as the artistic director for the San Francisco
Classical Guitar Society from 2002-2004. He is currently engaged as
professor of guitar at Humboldt State University.
QUOTES
"Mind blowing chops . . ." -Acoustic Guitar, Jan. 2003
"A
magnificent first recording replete with imagination, passion and
originality. Hats off, gentlemen. A genius." -Guitarra Magazine
"Riley's
technical skills are impeccable, his tone bright but warm, his articulation
crystal clear. Even more impressive is his intricate writing . . ." -Derk Richardson, SF Gate (Chronicle on the web)
'Gyan Riley is a real musician, the genuine article. ... I look forward to
each of his performances, as I know they will be interesting,full of
surprises, and always musical." -David Tanenbaum, guitarist
". . . a formidable guitarist and a budding composer in his own right. His
musical range reaches well beyond standard idiomatic cliches with almost
improvisatory freedom."
- Gramophone, Feb. '03
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