Ryan Jonker is a percussionist based out of Washington D.C. and a performing member of “The Commandant’s Own” United States Marine Drum & Bugle Corps.  Born in southwest Michigan, Ryan graduated from Western Michigan University with a bachelor’s degree in Percussion Performance.  At WMU, he studied under professor Judy Moonert.  Ryan was a charter member of both the Legends Drum and Bugle Corps and Legends Winter Percussion, where he aged out and then served as a percussion instructor.

With over fifteen years of teaching and writing experience at all levels, Ryan has worked as a percussion educator and designer at numerous schools throughout the United States. In addition to his duties as an active duty Marine Musician, he continues to consult and design for programs across the country.  He also creates solo and ensemble original percussion compositions and arrangements, available for sale on his website: RyanJonker.com

Ryan currently resides in Maryland and is a proud endorser of SABIAN Cymbals.

Q & A

BIGGEST INFLUENCE(S): John Cage, Steve Reich, Steven Schick, Anthony Cirone, Garwood Whaley, Jacques Delécluse,
Gordon Stout, Blake Tyson, Ivan Trevino, So Percussion, Third Coast Percussion, Marc
Churchill, Judy Moonert, Ibe Sodawalla, Landon Ewers, Mark Lopez, Dan Stephens, John Max
McFarland, Ben Runkel, Will Alderman, and David Oriente.

FAVOURITE ALBUM YOU DIDN’T PLAY ON: Firefish (Blake Tyson)

CAREER HIGHLIGHT: Performing Threads (percussion quartet by Paul Lansky) on a faculty recital at Goshen College in
2016.

FAVOURITE SABIAN CYMBAL: 22” Artisan Light Ride