Image credit: Stuart Lowe
Blending classical roots with the pulse of folk, electronic, and hip-hop, School of Music professor Ryan Davis—known by his moniker “Radia”—is carving out a space for the viola that is both fresh and timeless. His journey as a violist and composer defies tradition, embracing a fusion of genres to breathe new life into an instrument often overshadowed in classical music.
As an educator, Davis is equally passionate about inspiring his students to explore both the historical and contemporary relevance of their art. In this interview, he shares his inspirations, the power of vulnerability in performance, and why authenticity is at the heart of his work.
Your music blends classical training with influences from folk, electronic, and hip-hop. What inspired you to fuse these genres, and how do you think it has helped expand the possibilities of the viola?
I have always enjoyed many genres of music and at times felt frustrated by certain rigidities that I perceived in the classical music world. I often wondered how I could combine many of my inspirations in a way that I was not seeing around me. I wanted to continue chasing the beauty and precision of classical music and mash it up with some of the excitement and freedoms that I encountered in other styles. It was perhaps scary at first, but I felt a deep connection with the sounds that I was creating, and that became more important than what others might think of my curious exploration.
I’ve always felt that the viola is a bit of a chameleon. A great violist needs to be able to support others but also have the ability to step into the limelight at the right moment. I am very hopeful that my pursuits underline the importance of staying true to what you love, all the while showcasing the viola’s sound in a new environment. If you don’t see what you want around you, you must create it!
As someone who performs for diverse audiences, how do you connect with people who may not typically listen to classical or experimental music? What role do you think music plays in creating shared experiences between different communities?
I feel like it’s impossible to make someone love something that they do not resonate with, so my focus instead becomes all about caring deeply for my craft. If I truly love what I’m doing, I have to trust that others might also be into it. Audiences will always connect with authenticity, so my best hope is in letting my passion spill out in as many directions as possible and accepting whatever happens next. While it might sound cliché, music really does bring us together in ways where words simply fail. It is the ultimate connective tissue.
You’ve mentioned that you learn the most in performances that challenge you to be creative, present, and vulnerable. How does vulnerability influence your performances, and how does it enhance the experience for both you and the audience?
In the pursuit of excellence, you have to spend countless hours working on the technical challenges that come along with playing an instrument at the highest levels, and that work can’t ever really stop. However, you have to find a way to be vulnerable enough to let go of perfectionism and express what you desire to express.
I often get upset when I don’t play as well as I want to, but frequently remind myself that giving my all in the moment is all that I can do. When something doesn’t go the way that I had hoped, it necessitates reflection, planning, and action. Michael Jordan once said, “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” It is better to be vulnerable and open as opposed to bulletproof and closed, and I’m convinced that mindset enhances the performance experience.
In your teaching, you focus on the history of music but also on why art matters in contemporary life. How do you encourage students to find relevance and meaning in their work as they navigate the challenges of the modern music landscape?
Many composers wrote their masterpieces when faced with immense self-doubt, heartbreak, sickness, grief, or even violence. Little has changed throughout the centuries. We desperately need art to process and make sense of the human experience.
It can be very challenging to find a deeper meaning in practicing scales and etudes for hours on end, so I continuously reassure my students that their hard work allows them to share their gifts with fewer obstacles. While pursuing music as a career is not for the fainthearted, it is so rewarding to spend your days trying to make something as beautiful and refined as possible. It is a privilege. Very few vocations unify expression, art, spirituality, and wonderment in the way that music does.
As an artist and educator, what do you hope your students take away from your classes? What’s one piece of advice you would give them as they start their journey in music?
I just want them to fall in love with the work. I hope that they feel galvanized to become the most complete and thoughtful artists that they can become. I want them to feel uplifted and inspired to use their talents to leave this world better than how they found it. I don’t care how cheesy that sounds!
My best advice is to learn to embrace the uncertainty, and to treat everyone around you with as much kindness as possible. My career has taken many twists and turns, and I certainly didn’t expect that I’d get to become a viola professor, let alone one at this terrific university.
Finally, what are you currently listening to?
I catch myself listening to all sorts of things, from Mozart to Raveena! I spend a lot of time listening to podcasts about the NBA when I need to give my ears a break from music. When I need a creative boost, I listen to a lot of Kaytranada, Four Tet, and Channel Tres!
