06/01/2026
It was the pandemic, and Ryan Godfrey ’28 was at home, bored, and looking for ways to stay creatively engaged.
“I really missed playing in band—that was my life in eighth grade. I had so much time on my hands that I decided I might as well make some of my own music,” he said.
Godfrey sent his completed piece to his band teacher, Crane alumna Laura (Smith) Giorgio '05, who saw potential in his work and offered feedback on ways to improve his score.
“That kick-started my passion for composing. I’ve written 30 pieces of band music since then,” he said.
Now a sophomore in the music education program at The Crane School of Music, Godfrey continues to build on those early experiences. During the Spring 2026 semester, he composed “More Than This” for the Crane Wind Ensemble, led by Dr. Brian Doyle. Godfrey is one of only a handful of student composers whose work has been performed by major ensembles since Doyle began teaching at the College in 2006.
“Student compositions receiving such performances are uncommon,” said Doyle. “In my 20 years at Crane, I have only programmed four other student composer works. Ryan’s is the fifth.”
Other student composers whose work has been performed at Crane include Skye Hamilton Carranza’s “Blue Cherry Blossom” (2018), Jacob Ali’s “Dragon Ride” (2018), Ethan Cypress’s “Railway Bridge” (2015), and Christopher Nedimyer’s “Ben Nevis” (2009).
Now Godfrey joins those ranks—an especially notable accomplishment given that he is pursuing a degree in music education rather than composition.👨🏫🎺🎹
Read more: www.potsdam.edu/godfrey
