FSLM Student Profile April 2025
/Meet Ryker Meadows
By Baylor McLelland
photo by shane darby.
American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote, “Music is the universal language of mankind.” No matter what language you speak or where you come from, music can resonate with any soul. This concept has driven Texas High School senior Ryker Meadows to become a bassoonist and aspiring professional musician.
Ryker began playing instruments in the sixth grade, like many other band students in the Ark-La-Tex. He began with the flute but quickly transitioned to the bassoon. Now, he has been playing the woodwind for six years.
Ryker is a member of the award-winning Texas High School marching band. He serves as section leader for the bassoons; although there is only one other bassoonist, the duo make quite an impression with their powerful and versatile instruments. In Ryker’s time in the marching band, he has learned much about teamwork, patience, and the power of music itself.
“I really didn’t expect to make [first chair] because I hadn’t prepared as much as I’d have liked, but I did, and I was really proud of that.”
Ryker described his friends and marching bandmates as some of the biggest influences on him. Whether helping tune instruments, lending reeds, or critiquing sound, generous peers help a musician improve.
Ryker is also a member of the Texas High jazz band, which is a more individual experience. Instead of relying on others for tips and advice, he explained, you have to rely on yourself.
“In jazz band, most of the time, unless you have sections doubling a part, it’s usually one player to a part,” he explained. “So everybody in the jazz band is really important to the music as a whole. The feel is also a lot more free, and there’s improvisation in a lot of the songs. It’s just different music overall, really.”
The ability to improve on your sound both by yourself and with others’ advice takes lots of patience and time, two elements Ryker does struggle with. However, he tries to leave enough space in his busy schedule to practice and improve.
As it so happens, his practice and hard work have paid off: Ryker was selected for the prestigious Texas All-State Band earlier this school year, making him the first Texas High band student to do so since 2009. Only the top 2.6% of students who auditioned were chosen. The performance was held this past February in San Antonio as part of the Texas Music Educators Association Convention.
Ryker with his band director, Arnie Lawson. submitted photo.
“For bassoon, you have to be first chair in your area to make the all-state band,” Ryker said. “During my sophomore year, I was just one chair away, and I was like, ‘Oh, I can do this,’” he recalled. “But last year, I was actually two chairs away, so I was never selected. Then, this year, I really didn’t expect to make it because I hadn’t prepared as much as I’d have liked, but I did, and I was really proud of that.”
With such a big accomplishment, however, expectations were through the roof for his performance—although the pressure came mostly from himself.
“I was relieved because I finally made it, but there’s kind of an internal pressure,” he said. “‘I should be able to play this. I’m at this level.’ But everyone makes mistakes, even on simple stuff.”
Ryker out on the football field at THS. submitted photo.
After his performance, Ryker explained that there was a sense of conclusiveness to it all. Just three months before graduation, he had achieved a years-long goal. Now, he has realized, it is time to prepare for his future career as a musician.
Ryker plans to pursue a career in jazz performance, and he already has a handful of performances under his belt. Last June, he performed at the 1923 Banana Club in a jazz ensemble called The Gold Standard, made up of high school and college students. Also last June, he attended the Summer Band Camp Circuit at The University of Texas at Tyler.
This fall, Ryker will enroll at Baylor University’s School of Music in Waco. His future as a musician looks as bright as the field lights during marching season.