What we’re about.

Isomer Quartet is: Alex Avila | Ryan Chen | Keith Packman | Charlie Goodman

Isomers are molecules with the same numbers of atoms of each element but with distinct arrangements of the atoms in space and therefore potentially distinct chemical and physical properties. In looking beyond the typically insular body of works written for tuba-euphonium quartet, our quartet seeks to embrace the spirit of isomerism by taking music we love from further afield and arranging it for our instruments to new and surprising effect.

The members of Isomer Quartet have taught successful and brilliant students, won prizes at international competitions, and released albums. Individually, they are mostly college professors, on faculty at Louisiana State University, The Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University, and Texas Woman’s University. One of them just graduated from Harvard Law School.

What we’re about, individually.

Alex Avila

Dr. Alex Avila is an avid performer, educator, and advocate of art music. Although he began his musical studies on euphonium, doubling on tuba has become a signature of his professional career. Dr. Avila distinguished himself by placing in several regional, national, and international music competitions, notably earning first prize in the prestigious Leonard Falcone Festival Competition. He has also been a finalist in professional auditions on both instruments with Pershing’s Own and The Austin Symphony Orchestra.

As a soloist, Dr. Avila has been featured with The University of Georgia Wind Ensemble, The Austin Symphonic Band, The Chesapeake Bay Wind Ensemble, and has performed recitals across the U.S. His recitals use theme, narrative, and multimedia elements to explore a balance between tradition and modernity, appealing to a broad artistic spectrum. His latest performance, “Music for Two Big Instruments,” pairs 21st century music with prose, poetry, and visual art.

Chamber music is an essential component of Dr. Avila’s musical identity. He has performed with a variety of small ensembles in settings ranging from the concert hall to a viking boat sailing across a lagoon. His most active chamber group is the genre- bending quartet, FivE, that has garnered national attention for their creativity and ability to entertain audiences of all types. With FivE, Dr. Avila is constantly challenged to integrate outstanding musicianship with design and theater elements and to think about the future of classical music in society.

Dr. Avila currently serves as Lecturer of Tuba and Euphonium for The Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University. Prior to this appointment he had a similar role at Texas A&M University - Kingsville and freelanced in the Austin metropolitan area. Dr. Avila received his bachelors degree in music education from The University of Georgia and graduate performance degrees in both euphonium and tuba from The University of Texas at Austin.

Dr. Avila is a Buffet-Crampon performing artist.

Ryan Chen

Ryan Chen is a low brass musician living in New York City. He graduated from Harvard Law School in May 2024 after working for 4 seasons in basketball analytics for the Orlando Magic. Previously, Ryan received bachelor's degrees in Euphonium Performance and Industrial & Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan and a master's degree in Management Science & Engineering from Stanford University.

Currently, Ryan plays euphonium and arranges works in the low brass ensemble Isomer Quartet. He is also an avid arranger for low brass and New Orleans-style brass band. Previously, he served on the staff for the Winter Park High School "Sound of the Wildcats" Marching Band for 3 seasons, coached low brass students at various high schools and middle schools in Central Florida and the San Francisco Bay Area, maintained a private teaching studio, and interned for 3 seasons at Stanford Live, working in programming & engagement and marketing.

Ryan has performed with a wide variety of ensembles, including the Harvard New Music Ensemble, Harvard Jazz Ensemble, University of Michigan Symphony Band, River City Brass, Brass Band of Central Florida, New England Brass Band, and the University of Michigan Jazz Ensemble.  He has also performed in, led, and managed BlueLine Brass Band, a New Orleans-style brass band based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He has also received accolades at several solo competitions, including the Leonard Falcone International Euphonium & Tuba Festival, the International Tuba Euphonium Conference, the Concours International de Saxhorn Euphonium Tuba de Tours et Chambray-lès-Tours and the International Women's Brass Conference.  

Ryan’s primary teachers are Gail Robertson, Fritz Kaenzig, and Ken Amis.

Keith Packman

Keith Packman is living the dream of a working musician: performing with symphony orchestras, giving solo recitals, recording over a dozen albums and teaching at a university along with numerous other types of musical work.

As a performer, Keith has had an active freelance career in the Dallas-Fort Worth area for over a decade. He can regularly be heard performing as Principal Tuba of the Las Colinas Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, he has performed with the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas, Allen Philharmonic, Richardson Symphony, Irving Symphony, McKinney Philharmonic, Lone Star Wind Orchestra, Dallas Chamber Symphony and the musical company Lyric Stage. Also a specialist in chamber music, Keith is a part of two professional tuba-euphonium quartets, fLOW Quartet and Isomer Quartet, that have recorded albums and performed across the United States and Japan. In various competitive settings, Keith has been a prize-winner at multiple prestigious international competitions including those hosted by the International Tuba Euphonium Association and the Leonard Falcone International Euphonium and Tuba Festival. He can also be heard in the viral video "Down in the River to Pray" with the University of Texas at Austin tuba-euphonium studio, which has surpassed 1.8 million views on YouTube.As an educator, Keith has taught at all academic levels from pre-middle school to collegiate graduate students. His pedagogical practice revolves around developing a high-level of musicality and the best possible sound quality, all while instilling a strong sense of the students’ individuality. His college students have gone on to start their careers as various types of music educators and performers while his younger students have achieved many accolades including the coveted TMEA All-State status.Keith is a professor at Texas Woman's University teaching applied tuba and euphonium lessons. He holds degrees from the University of North Texas (BM - Performance, BM - Music Theory) and the University of Texas at Austin (MM - Performance). He has had extended tuba studies with Don Little, Charles Villarrubia and Matt Good. More information and recordings can be found at www.keithpackman.com

Charlie Goodman

Charlie Goodman is a tuba performer and educator who serves as Assistant Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  Dr. Goodman holds the principal tuba chair of Sinfonia Gulf Coast, based in Destin, Florida, and has previously held similar positions in the Valdosta and Albany (GA) Symphony Orchestras.  He has also performed with the Louisiana Philharmonic, Colorado Symphony, Baton Rouge Symphony, Ann Arbor Symphony, Orquesta Filharmonica de Jalisco, the Round Top Festival Orchestra, and the New World Symphony.