"Nomad was the first independent ensemble I wanted to be apart of when I was just starting out in high school. When the pandemic hit, those dreams ultimately faded and my passion for drums did as well. However, when the 2021 season started to approach, I decided out of nowhere to give it a shot and see where it goes. Now, I just finished out my third season with the ensemble and am currently spending the summer with a DCA corps.

All of this probably would not have happened if I hadn’t decided to try it out even after those passions died out momentarily. Nomad has made a huge difference for me in terms of my playing and performing abilities. And it’s great to see an ensemble from my hometown thriving the way it is. I can’t wait to see what the future holds now that Nomad is competing in the independent open class."

Ryan Demchak, '21, '22, & '23