Meet A Musician: Alvoy Bryan Jr., Principal Viola
This article originally appeared in the Spring 2020 issue of HereHear.
Dr. Alvoy Bryan on stage at the Chapman Cultural Center for rehearsals of Homegrown, a 2019 Espresso Series Concert.
Dr. Alvoy Bryan Jr. holds a B.M. in music performance from Indiana University (Bloomington, IN), a M.M. in music performance from University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and a D.M.A. in music performance from the University of South Carolina. He is a native of Decatur, G.A. and began studying the violin at the age of ten, and the viola at the age of eighteen.
Alvoy is a professional orchestral and chamber musician, conductor, arranger and teacher. He is a member of Spartanburg Philharmonic (Principal), Greenville Symphony Orchestra, Augusta Symphony, Aiken Symphony (Principal), and has performed with orchestras such as South Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra, Charleston Symphony, Greensboro Symphony, Long Bay Symphony, Danville Symphony, and Charlotte Philharmonic Orchestra. Dr. Bryan has also performed chamber music in Europe and South America with a few professional chamber music groups.
Alvoy has also been married to Nicole Bryan for the last ten and half years, and is the father of five children (one son and four daughters): Elijah (7), Naimah (9), Isis (10), Micah (12), and Malachi (15). His two older children are from a previous marriage. In addition to his performance career, Alvoy is the Orchestra Director at Cardinal Newman School in Columbia, SC and also serves as the CEO and Coowner of Bryan Music Group L.L.C. To unwind, Alvoy loves to play video games on his PlayStation 4 – he’s very much into Technology – and his favorite outdoor sport is basketball. And to be honest, he also loves eating home cooked meals by his beautiful wife Nicole.
Alvoy is an active member of several social and giving organizations: Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (Gamma Eta Chapter), Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Inc. (Xi Beta Chapter), College Lodge No. 378 Free & Accepted Masons (PHA), Ethiopia Chapter No. 60 (Holy Royal Arch Masons), O.D. Berry Royal & Select Council No. 1, Joshua Commandery No. 10, and C.C. Johnson Consistory No. 136.
Taking care of our community is extraordinarily important to Alvoy, and he is very active in several Masonic organizations that support family shelters, donating bikes and tablets for students achieving academic success at local middle and high schools, and raising funds for scholarships to high school graduates attending college for the first time.
But at the end of the day, Alvoy just loves spending time at home watching a movie with his wife and children.
Alvoy performs with Callie Brennan at Mingling with the Musicians in October 2019
Dr. Bryan on stage during the Americana Masters concertin February 2020