Ruthmere proudly announces the Fall Concert Series for 2017.  Ruthmere will continue its successful "Game Room Piano Concerts" series that broke all previous attendance records in 2016 and captured public attention as never before.  All concerts are held in Ruthmere's historic Game Room, and followed by a Meet the Artist reception.

October 12 - Gemeinhardt Artists Rebecca Hovan and Matthew Allison - Gemeinhardt Flutists Rebecca Hovan and Matthew Allison will combine forces for an unforgettable flute duet concert. Gemeinhardt Musical Instruments, LLC announces the launch of a Teaching Artist Program as the first step in establishing its new Educational Outreach Department.  The company will be partnering with selected teacher-performers to promote high-quality flute instruction and performance.  Sponsored masterclasses, clinics, and performances given by the Gemeinhardt Teaching Artists are just a few of the activities currently in the works. 

Leadership of the Teaching Artist Program will be provided by Rebecca Hovan, the most recent addition to the Gemeinhardt team.  Rebecca has enjoyed a multi-faceted career as a teacher and performer, most recently having returned from two seasons as the flutist for the National Tour of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.  She is a member of the National Flute Association, currently serving as Masterclass Performers Competition Coordinator.  She has also served the NFA as Chair of the Pedagogy Committee, during which time she participated in the preparation of several of the Committee's publications.  Rebecca is co-author of several titles in the award-winning Blocki Flute Method series and remains active composing and arranging music for a variety of instrumental combinations.  As a performer, she has appeared in recital as a soloist and with various ensembles throughout the United States, and she has presented numerous pedagogy workshops for the NFA, colleges and universities, professional conferences, and flute festivals.

Matthew Allison operates Allison Flute Studio in Metro St. Louis and is Instructor of Flute at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, MO.  Previously, he held teaching positions at Western Illinois University (Instructor of Flute) and the Pennsylvania Academy of Music (Chair of Theory/Composition, Chair of Winds, Flute Instructor), as well as at the University of Kansas (Graduate Teaching Assistant Flute/Band).  He has performed, taught, and adjudicated at universities and organizations across the nation including the Southern Illinois Flute Society, Flute Society of St Louis, and the Midwestern Music Academy, as well as for the Pennsylvania, Kansas, and Illinois Music Teacher/Educator Associations.  His orchestra experiences include the Harrisburg Symphony and as principal flute of the Lancaster Chamber Orchestra; he has been a featured soloist in concertos with the Alton Symphony, the Lancaster Chamber Orchestra, and the Belleville Philharmonic.  He is a founding member of the new music group NakedEye Ensemble, and is part of the Storylines Crossing CD released through Starkland Records.  As a certified and experienced yoga instructor, he also offers workshops on physically and mentally preparing for auditions and performances.  His music training has led to a Doctor of Music Arts and a Master of Music in flute performance from the University of Kansas, studying under David Fedele, and a Bachelor of Music from the University of Louisville, studying under Kathleen Karr and Don Gottlieb.

October 26 - Liana Paniyeva is an international award-winning concert pianist living in New York.  Liana Paniyeva was born in Azerbaijan.  She is a graduate from Manhattan School of Music and the University of Hartford.  Her skills have taken Liana around the world, and now she brings her talents to the Ruthmere stage.  Her photograph below shows Liana performing at Carnegie Hall in 2012.

November 9 - Jeremy Kahn was born near Chicago, and today lives with his family in Oak Park, Illinois.  A jazz pianist by trade, Jeremy also plays on recordings that motivate you to consume your favorite products, and performs in pit orchestras for some of your favorite theatrical extravaganzas.  Jeremy has accompanied Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, Joni Mitchell, Phil Woods, Teramasu Hino, Charlie Haden, Aretha Franklin, Barbara Cook, Alvin and the Chipmunks, and everyone in between.  His program for November 9 will be "Hoosier Daddies: Jeremy Kahn plays the music of Cole Porter and Hoagy Carmichael."

November 24 - Elkhart favorite son Nicholas Roth will treat Ruthmere patrons with his annual "Black Friday Concert, " the Friday evening after Thanksgiving, what a way to celebrate the holiday!  Nicholas is Professor of piano at Drake University. Don't miss Nicholas Roth for this once in a lifetime performance!  On this night Nicholas will be presented as the inaugural recipient of the Robert Beardsley Annual Piano Prize.

Ticket pricing for the 2017 Fall Concert Series is as follows: Single concert non-members $30 per seat. Single concert Ruthmere Members $25 per seat. Season Pass for all four concerts (available ONLY to Ruthmere Members $75 per seat).  Note: Non-member Fall Concert ticket price includes a 10-day trial membership. Ruthmere Fall Concerts are considered private party events.

For more information, or to make reservations call Ruthmere at 574-264-0330 ext. 104. All concerts begin at 7pm and seating is limited on a first come, first seated basis.  Doors open at 6:30pm.  The first three concerts are on a Thursday, and the last one, a Friday.

Coming for 2018 - Robert Beardsley Annual Piano Prize

Ruthmere will soon host a new competition of classical piano music - to be known as the Robert Beardsley Annual Piano Prize - and will utilitize Ruthmere’s 9-foot Steinway Concert Grand Piano (1955) in the Game Room. This piano originally was the favorite “loner” piano from Steinert & Sons Steinway Dealers in Boston to Arthur Rubenstein when he was on tour in New England.

The winner of the competition will be awarded a $1,000 prize, and his or her name will be inscribed on a plaque adjacent to a handsome glass-encased antique Sterling trophy cup-with-cover. The cup is 22 inches high, weighs over 75 ounces and was made in London in 1907, one year before construction of Ruthmere began. Judging criteria and terms of application are being developed. All recital-qualified players will be considered. While players of 19th century Romantic and earlier Baroque period piano literature are preferred, gifted improvisationalists are welcome to apply.

Applicants are encouraged to make submissions for consideration either online or by a CD if on-site auditioning is not convenient. The number of competing contestants will be limited to ten.

Submit Your Inquiry

In honor of and in appreciation for the brillant recitals he has performed at Ruthmere over many years, Nicholas Roth has been named the 2017 recipient of this award. He will accept this prize and perform at Ruthmere on November 24, 2017.