Gyan Riley is a rising figure of guitar and contemporary music, both as a performer and composer. In 1999, he became the first guitarist ever to be awarded a full scholarship from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. While still studying at the conservatory, he received a recording contract for his debut CD of original works, Food for the Bearded (New Albion Records). Gyan’s awards include First Prize in the Portland International Guitar Festival Competition and First Prize in the San Francisco Conservatory Guitar Concerto Competition. Gyan played in the American premiere of John Adams’ El Nino with 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 Los Angeles based Falla Guitar Trio, the Feinsmith Quartet, and father/composer/pianist Terry Riley. Gyan has received commissions from the Carnegie Hall Corporation, the New York Guitar Festival, and the Elaine Kaufman Cultural Center. Gyan served as the artistic director for the San Francisco Classical Guitar Society from 2002-2004, and as professor of guitar at Humboldt State University for the 2005-2006 academic year.

In 2013 he is part of a new group EVIYAN with Evan Ziporyn & Iva Bittová.
http://www.eviyan.org/

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