Educational Outreach


Cathie Ryan School Assembly

Cathie Ryan graduated summa cum laude with a BA in English Literature and Education from City University of New York, Lehman College.  Her years of working with students and her vocation as a singer make her the perfect choice for educational outreach concerts and programs.  Her band are also seasoned at performing for students, having spent an unprecedented three seasons as part of Lincoln Center Institute’s performing arts repertory and giving regular performances for students in conjunction with their concert appearances.

Cathie and the band offer workshops, master classes and educational presentations both in conjunction with and independent of their concert appearances. Cathie also gives keynote addresses on arts in education.  Please see: cathie.test/workshops/ for full details.

For students from pre-K to college level

Presentations by Cathie and the band usually last approximately one hour and feature songs and Irish traditional dance music, discussion of Irish music and individual instruments, and a question and answer period. The set list, curriculum correlation, and objectives vary depending on the grade level of the audience and are tailored to the needs of the students. Some of their most requested presentations include: Irish Music: A Living Tradition and From Shore to Shore: Irish American Music. Cathie is also happy to create presentations for your school’s specific requirements.

Keynotes and Lectures

Cathie is becoming increasingly in demand as a public speaker. She presents keynotes and lectures at colleges, schools, and civic venues across the country, both independent of and in conjunction with her concert appearances. Her long history as an advocate of arts in education and a BA in secondary education coupled with years of teaching at both the high school and college level, have led Cathie to bring public attention to several current educational issues, including the crucial importance of music, art, and dance in the curriculum.

Individual Band Member Workshops

Cathie’s band mates are also seasoned at presenting and leading workshops. They have presented at various music camps, colleges, and arts centers throughout North America.

  • Patsy O’Brien – guitar accompaniment and songwriting
  • Patrick Mangan – fiddle
  • Brian Melick – percussion (Brian is a respected educator who has created a percussion curriculum for the NY State schools.)

Past educational outreach master classes, lectures and workshops

  • Lincoln Center Institute for Arts in Education – Lincoln Center, Julliard, and schools throughout NY, NJ, and CT
  • Kennedy Center for Arts in Education at MSU – (Keynote address and educational outreach)
  • Gaelic Roots Program, Boston College
  • Numerous Performing Arts Centers, festivals, schools, and colleges throughout North America and Ireland in conjunction with Cathie Ryan Band concert appearances.

(See letter section for letters of recommendation from past presenters.)

Further Information

Workshops, master classes and presentations are tailored to your time frame and age group. Special presentations can be created for your school’s specific requirements. Please email workshops [at] cathieryan [dot] com for booking information and to discuss possible courses.