Director Biography

Ryan Wason

Fine Arts Department Co-Chair

Director of Chorus

Music Director, Acting Troupe of Lambert

Mr. Wason is entering his 21st year of teaching Chorus and Musical Theatre. During his teaching career, Mr. Wason has taught at the Elementary and High School levels. After graduating from Heidelberg College in Tiffin, OH, he started his teaching career teaching High School Choir, Drama and Computer Applications in addition to Elementary General Music in the Tiffin (OH) Catholic Schools. Mr. Wason continued his career with the Aurora (OH) City School District. During his tenure at Aurora, he directed the Choir program to their first ever Superior (I) rating in the Ohio Music Education Association Large Group Adjudicated event. In addition to teaching multiple choirs, Mr. Wason taught AP Music Theory for 5 years to increasing success. On two occasions, 100% of the students who took the AP Music Theory test passed with a score of 4 or better. Recently, Mr. Wason directed the Forsyth County Middle School Honor Chorus Mixed Chorus (2012, 2019) and served as the Organizing Chair for the GMEA District IX Honor Chorus (2013, 2014, 2017, 2018).  In 2018, Mr. Wason had the pleasure of conducting the Intermediate Mixed Chorus at the GMEA District 14 Honor Chorus Event on the campus of Brenau University in Gainesville, GA, and the 2022 Senior Treble Chorus at the GMEA District 9 Honor Chorus Event at Cumming First United Methodist Church in Cumming, GA. Mr. Wason has been recognized as a four-time Finalist for the Lambert High School Teacher of the Year (2012, 2016, 2017, 2022).

 Since taking over the Chorus Program at Lambert in 2010, Mr. Wason and the Choruses have participated in various musical events, including receiving Superior and Excellent ratings in both Performance and Sight-Reading at the Georgia Music Education Association Large Group Performance Evaluations, with multiple ensembles receiving straight Superior ratings. The Choruses have participated in the Candlelight Processional Program and Festival Disney Competitions at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Additionally the Choruses have performed as a part of the London  International Choral Festival alongside the London New Year's Day Parade and Festitivies (2015) in London, England, and  the Rome New Year's Day Parade and Festivities (2019) in Rome, Italy. The Choruses look forward to additional opportunities to perform both nationally and internationally. 

Outside of his teaching career, Mr. Wason has enjoyed performing in and directing musicals at the Aurora Community Theater, where he most recently finished directing Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in the Summer of 2009 and performing in the barbershop quartet and music directing The Music Man in the Spring of 2010. Mr. Wason spent 3 years singing with the Cathedral Choir at The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Cleveland, OH and was a member of the choir when they were named the winner of 1st Annual WCLV FM Choral Jubilation Competition (2008). Since moving to Georgia, Mr. Wason has had the ability to sing with the Orpheus Men's Ensemble of Georgia. This ensemble is primarily comprised of choral directors from around the state and has had the honor of being selected to perform in the Georgia Music Educators Association In-Service Conference in January, 2019, the American Choral Directors Association National Convention in March, 2021, and the ACDA Southern Regional Conference in February, 2022 and the GMEA In-Service Conference in January, 2024

Mr. Wason enjoys spending time with his daughters Ella and Daphne and his partner, Kate.