Ryan Townsend Strand, tenor, is a Minnesota native whose "beautiful vocalism" (SF Chronicle) and "pliant tenor,” (Chicago Classical Review) have afforded him a budding career as a concert and oratorio soloist. A passionate performer of Bach, Strand made his debut last season as Endymion in Bach’s secular Hunt Cantata under the baton of Nicholas Kramer with Music of the Baroque. Last fall, Strand sang in Haymarket Opera Theater’s first ever HD filmed production of Handel’s Acis & Galatea (Chorus, Acis Cover). He would have made his onstage debut at Lyric Opera of Chicago last spring in Richard Wagner’s Götterdämmerung prior to COVID-19. Strand has sung with the Grammy award-winning contemporary vocal ensemble The Crossing in Philadelphia under the direction of Donald Nally. Locally, he performs with the Chicago Symphony Chorus, Music of the Baroque, and the Grant Park Festival Chorus. He is a founding tenor and executive director of Constellation Men’s Ensemble in Chicago.