BIOGRAPHY

Ryan Neaveill is half-way through his Master of Arts degree at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois. He received his Bachelor of Music degree in 1989 from Illinois Wesleyan University.
       Currently, Ryan does freelance editing, proofreading and website design in addition to composing and teaching piano, voice and guitar lessons. He is also the Opinions Editor at Smile Politely, an online culture magazine based in Champaign–Urbana for which he also writes a weekly column, Your Humble Heretic.
       Ryan has served churches in the area of music ministry for over twenty years. He was the Minister of Music at Grace United Methodist Church in Decatur, Illinois, from 2002 to 2007; the music director at First United Methodist Church in Urbana, Illinois, from 1997 to 2002; organist at Temple Baptist Church in Champaign, Illinois, from 1996 to 1997; and the music director at Eureka United Methodist Church in Eureka, Illinois, from 1989 to 1995.
       Ryan is an accomplished composer and arranger with a number of pieces published by Hinshaw Music, Inc., Theodore Presser Co., Concordia Publishing House, and Abingdon Press.
       He is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers; the American Choral Directors Association; the American Guild of English Handbell Ringers; the Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and Worship Arts; and the Order of St. Luke. He is also a certified Lay Speaker in The United Methodist Church.
       Ryan lives in Champaign, Illinois, and is the father of two beautiful children, Levi and Lena.