A native of Wallingford, Connecticut, Ryan Leveille has served as the Principal Percussionist of the Charleston Symphony Orchestra for 20 years. He began his studies at the Neighborhood Music School in New Haven, CT, taking lessons with members of the New Haven Symphony and faculty of the Yale School of Music. In 1990 he moved to Philadelphia to attend the Curtis Institute of Music, receiving a Bachelor of Music in 1994 and then a Master of Music from Temple University in 1996.

During the 1990s, Ryan was percussion faculty at the Luzerne Music Center, in Lake Luzerne, NY for six summers. He also participated in the Spoleto Festival USA, as well as Music at Penn’s Woods, in State College, PA. In 1996, he was appointed 2nd Percussion with the Charleston Symphony, holding that position until becoming principal in 2001. In addition to Charleston, Ryan regularly performs with the Savannah Philharmonic and the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra. He has also appeared with orchestras in Philadelphia, Atlanta, Birmingham, and Jacksonville.

Outside of performing, Ryan takes an active interest in the Charleston community having served as president of the Charleston local of the American Federation of Musicians, volunteered for seven years as a shelter aide at a domestic violence shelter, participated in the establishment of Gun Sense, SC after the Emmanuel AME church tragedy, and is a member of the Charleston Area Justice Ministry which seeks equity in the community across race, gender, and economic lines.

Ryan has been married to Anya Marsalek Leveille since 2005. Their daughter, Eleanor, is eight years old.