Korean-American saxophonist Eugene Ryoo is the Instructor and Director of Music Business at Western Illinois University, where he teaches courses in music industry and entrepreneurship while maintaining an active career as a performer and educator.

Eugene is currently completing his Doctor of Musical Arts in Saxophone Performance with a secondary emphasis in Chamber Music Entrepreneurship at the University of Iowa, where he studies with Dr. Kenneth Tse and previously served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant. He holds a Master of Music in Saxophone Performance from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and a Bachelor of Music in Music Education (Instrumental Emphasis) from The University of Texas at Austin.

Eugene is a co-founder and Associate Director of the IOWinds Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering inclusive, collaborative opportunities for wind musicians and composers from diverse backgrounds. IOWinds Alliance supports the creation, performance, and dissemination of new music through commissions, residencies, concerts, and educational initiatives. In his leadership role, Eugene is actively involved in organizational strategy, artist programming, fundraising, and community engagement, working to expand equitable access to professional opportunities within the wind and chamber music communities.

As a soloist and chamber musician, Eugene is deeply committed to new music and interdisciplinary collaboration. He made his Carnegie Hall debut as a First Prize winner and recipient of the Judges’ Distinction Award in the 2021 American Protégé International Concerto Competition.

Eugene regularly collaborates with his wife, oboist Lisa Ryoo, as a member of Emergence Duo. Their work centers on commissioning and premiering new repertoire for mixed chamber ensembles. Projects include the co-commission and premiere of Emergence for oboe, saxophone, and piano by Jared Beu at the 2021 North American Saxophone Alliance Virtual Conference, as well as premieres of Three Indian Folk Sketches by Anish Raj Pandit and Stacy Garrop’s The Solitude of Stars (arranged for tenor saxophone, oboe, and piano). Recent commissions include Paper Year by Jenni Watson. The duo has presented work at international conferences, including the World Saxophone Congress.

An active and dedicated educator, Eugene continues to maintain a private saxophone studio. He has served on faculty at the University of Iowa National Youth Saxophone Summer Camp (2022–2025), assisting with lessons, chamber ensembles, and masterclasses. His teaching philosophy emphasizes artistic entrepreneurship, community engagement, and accessible pathways into professional music careers.

Eugene’s honors include prizes from the Artist Presentation Society Competition, American Protégé International Concerto Competition, MTNA Young Artist Competitions (national, regional, and state levels), and the Young Texas Artist Competition.

His principal teachers include Dr. Kenneth Tse, Dr. Robert Young, and Dr. Stephen C. Page.