Ruth Cahn

Ruth Cahn 051314Ruth Cahn (percussion) In 2001 Ruth was named Jack Frank Instructor of Percussion in the Eastman Community Music School. She also currently serves as Chair of the ECMS Wind, Brass, and Percussion Department, and is founder and director of the Music Horizon Program for talented high school age musicians now in its 27th year.

As a performer, Ruth was a full-time member of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra for 32 years and served on many committees representing the musicians of the orchestra, also serving on the RPO board of director and the board’s finance, development and marketing committees. She served as development director for the orchestra 1993-94. She has also performed with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra and Opera, the Society for Chamber Music, Rochester Chamber Orchestra, Breath Percussion Ensemble in Finland, Canadian Brass Spectacular, and she is a frequent recitalist. As a Musician in Residence, Ruth has worked as an individual artist in the Rochester City School District for 27 years, presenting sequential programs that link music to academic curriculum.

For 8 years Ruth has taught a course “the Joys and Opportunities of Studio Teaching” in Eastman’s collegiate Arts Leadership Program. She has served on the national board of directors of the Percussive Arts Society, chaired the National Education Committee and is currently serving on the Symphonic Committee. She served as Summer Session Director for the Eastman School of Music from 2000-2011. Ruth is devoted to nurturing percussionists/musicians of any age and to helping them achieve their personal potential. She has students performing professionally in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Opera, and Atlanta Symphony. Ruth holds a BM from the Eastman School of Music with Academic Distinction in the areas of Applied Percussion and Music Education.  In 2013 the Percussive Arts Society honored Ruth’s percussion teaching with a Lifetime Award in Percussion Teaching.


ECMS Faculty by department