Born in Montreal, Thérèse Ryan studied cello at McGill University with Walter Joachim, and at the Conservatoire de Musique du Québec à Montréal with Michael Kilburn. She won several prizes at the Conservatoire. She is a cellist with several orchestras in the Montreal région, notably the Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal and the Ensemble Amati. In addition to her orchestral career, she teaches cello at Cégep Marie- Victorin. She also appears regularly as a chamber player with various ensembles on stage as well as on radio. She plays a Vincenzo Jorio cello from c. 1848.