The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Announces Contract Extension with
Conductor Ryan Tani
MILWAUKEE, WIS. 5/29/2025 – The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra announced today that the organization has extended conductor Ryan Tani’s contract through the 2026-27 season, and he will be promoted from assistant conductor to associate conductor. Tani’s primary role is serving as cover conductor for performances and conducting many of the orchestra’s pops, films, youth, family, and community engagement concerts, as well as a concert on the Classics Series. In addition, he is actively involved in the MSO’s education initiatives, including Concerts for Schools, the Arts in Community Education (ACE) program, hosting pre-concert lectures, and giving in-school presentations.
“For the last two seasons, I have loved making music with this outstanding orchestra and working so closely with Music Director Ken-David Masur,” said Tani. “I am so excited to continue my career with the MSO in the coming years. It is a great privilege to serve the thousands of students who enjoy our education programs, and I can’t wait to deepen my connection with this amazing Milwaukee community on and off the stage.”
“Ryan has been an outstanding addition to the MSO family,” said Music Director Ken-David Masur. “His joy and curiosity about music show in his passion and versatility as a conductor and communicator, which resonate with our audiences of all ages. He has been a valued collaborator, and I look forward to continuing work with Ryan in the coming season.”
On the Classics Series, Tani will conduct the “Joyce Yang Plays Tchaikovsky” concerts on February 27-28 and March 1. For the Pops Series, he will conduct the orchestra’s perennial favorite Holiday Pops in December, as well as the orchestra’s education and community performances throughout the season.
About Associate Conductor Ryan Tani
Now in his second season as assistant conductor of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Ryan Tani has built a reputation for bold programming and deep community engagement. At the MSO, he conducts a wide range of concerts — including education, family, pops, and classics — and has stepped in for Edo de Waart and led sold-out performances in his 2025 Classics Series debut. He has recently served as cover conductor for the Minnesota Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, St. Louis Symphony, Colorado Symphony, and Bozeman Symphony.
A committed advocate for new music, Tani was music director of Baltimore’s Occasional Symphony, commissioning over 20 works and supporting dozens of composers. At Yale, he served as a conducting fellow of the Philharmonia and resident conductor of New Music New Haven, earning the Dean’s Prize for artistic excellence.
Tani’s community-focused work includes leading multiple ensembles across Montana, where he developed outreach programs with amateur musicians, taught university courses, and fostered collaborations between artists and the public — efforts that continue to shape his approach today.
He holds degrees from Yale, the Peabody Institute, and USC and has studied with Marin Alsop, Peter Oundjian, Markand Thakar, Larry Rachleff, and Donald Schleicher. He lives in Milwaukee with his dog and enjoys board games, books, and practicing violin.
About the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, led by Music Director Ken-David Masur, is among the finest orchestras in the nation and the largest cultural institution in Wisconsin. Since its inception in 1959, the MSO has found innovative ways to give music a home in the region, develop music appreciation and talent among area youth, and raise the national reputation of Milwaukee. The MSO’s 72 full-time professional musicians perform over 135 classics, pops, family, education, and community concerts each season in venues throughout the state. A pioneer among American orchestras, the MSO has performed world and American premieres of works by John Adams, Philip Glass, Geoffrey Gordon, Marc Neikrug, Camille Pépin, Matthias Pintscher, Roberto Sierra, and Dobrinka Tabakova, as well as garnered national recognition as the first American orchestra to offer live recordings on iTunes. The MSO’s standard of excellence extends beyond the concert hall and into the community, reaching more than 70,000 children and their families through its Arts in Community Education (ACE) program, Youth and Teen concerts, and Family Series.
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