Faculty Guide

Title

Professor of the Practice of Music

Music

Expertise

Violist, Lydian String Quartet. Chair, Music Department.

Profile

Mary Ruth Ray is an internationally known performer who has received critical acclaim throughout the United States, Europe and Russia. As violist of the Lydian String Quartet, she has been awarded prizes at competitions in France, England and Canada, and is a 1984 winner of the Naumburg Award for Excellence in Chamber Music, resulting in debuts at Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall and the Library of Congress. An active soloist and chamber musician, Ms. Ray has performed as guest artist with the Fromm Series at Harvard University, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, the Bard Music Festival, Apple Hill Chamber Players, Boston Musica Viva, and Juneau Jazz and Classics, and was invited to present a featured concert/demonstration of the Bach Cello Suites for the 13th International Viola Congress.

As member and soloist with Emmanuel Music in Boston, Professor Ray has performed the complete cycle of over two hundred sacred cantatas by J.S. Bach as well as chamber music of Debussy, Brahms, Schubert, Schumann, and John Harbison on its acclaimed "encyclopedic exploration of great composers" series. She is a recording artist with CRI, Nonesuch, Centaur, Harmonia Mundi, New World, and Tzadik Records. Mary Ruth ("U.V.") Ray has been a faculty member at Brandeis University since 1980, teaching viola and chamber music, and was appointed Chair of the Music Department at Brandeis in 2005.

Awards and Honors

Barlow Endowment Consortium Commission; with Avalon and Pacifica String Quartets, to commission Pulitzer-finalist composer Harold Meltzer to write a new work for string quartet (2008)

BOLLI Distinguished Speakers Award for performance of Beethoven Quartet in C# Minor, Op.131 (2007)

Top Classical Performance Award for 2005, The Boston Globe; Lydian String Quartet (2005)

National Endowment for the Arts grant; Lydian String Quartet (1999)

Grammy nomination for Lydian String Quartet recording of Faure: La bonne chanson, Op. 61 (with Sanford Sylvan, baritone) (1997)

ASCAP Award for Adventuresome Programming in Chamber Music; Lydian String Quartet (1996)

ASCAP Award for Adventuresome Programming in Chamber Music; Lydian String Quartet (1992)

Aaron Copland Foundation Grant; Lydian String Quartet (1992)

Boston Globe Best Contemporary Recording (The Quartets of John Harbison); Lydian String Quartet (1992)

Meet the Composer/Rockefeller Foundation/AT&T Jazz Program Commission; Lydian String Quartet (1991)

Boston Globe Artists-of-the Year; Lydian String Quartet (1990)

Boston Globe Best Record of the Year; Lydian String Quartet (1990)

Boston Herald Best Chamber Group of the Year; Lydian String Quartet (1989)

Chamber Music America Commission grant; Lydian String Quartet (1989)

Grammy nomination for Lydian String Quartet recording of Irving Fine: String Quartet (1989)

Pew Charitable Trust/Chamber Music America grant to commission composer Lee Hyla for new work; Lydian String Quartet (1988)

Prizewinner, Portsmouth (England) International String Quartet Competition; Lydian String Quartet (1985)

Winner, Walter W. Naumburg Chamber Music Award; Lydian String Quartet (1984)

Second Grand Prize; Contemporary Music Prize; Best Performance of French Piece Prize, Evian (France) International String Quartet Competition; Lydian String Quartet (1982)

Third Grand Prize; Contemporary Prize, Banff (Canada) International String Quartet Competition; Lydian String Quartet (1982 - 1983)

Sarasota Chamber Music Festival participant (1979)

Spoleto Music Festival participant (1976)

Courses Taught

MUS	111a	Private Instruction: Instrumentalists
MUS	111b	Private Instruction: Instrumentalists
MUS	116a	Inside the Piece: Chamber Music from the Player's Perspective
MUS	116b	Inside the Piece: Chamber Music from the Player's Perspective

Scholarship

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. Gardner Read: Piano Quintet (with John MacDonald, piano). 2011. (forthcoming)

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. Martin Boykan: Psalm (with mezzo-soprano Pamela Dellal). Albany Records, 2011. (forthcoming)

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. W. A. Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 12 in A, K. 414 (string quartet version, with Russell Sherman, piano). EMM, 2011. (forthcoming)

"Fred Suite": a collection of 3 new works written by Yu-Hui Chang, Eric Chasalow, and Davy Rakowski in honor of Brandeis President Frederick M. Lawrence (with Rhonda Rider, cello and electronics). Lydian String Quartet Performance; Violist Ray, Mary Ruth. Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Arts, Brandeis University, 4/29/12.

The Sacred Cantatas of J. S. Bach. Performances with the Orchestra and Chorus of Emmanuel Music; Violist Ray, Mary Ruth. Emmanuel Church, Boston, ongoing weekly series, September - May.

Ray, Mary Ruth. http://www.brandeis.edu/departments/music/lydian.html

Ray, Mary Ruth. http://www.lydianquartet.com

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. Beethoven: The Late String Quartets. Centaur CRC-3212-3213-3214, 2012.

Haydn: Op. 33, No. 2; Irving Fine: String Quartet; Martin: Pavanne; Schubert Quintet in C (with Rhonda Rider, cello). Lydian String Quartet Performance; Violist Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet 30th anniversary gala concert, Slosberg Recital Hall, Brandeis University, 3/26/11.

Leonard Bernstein: Agathon; Fairouz: Lamentation and Satire; Debussy: String Quartet; Persichetti: Quintet, Op. 66 (with Geoffrey Burleson, piano). Lydian String Quartet Performance; Violist Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet 30th anniversary gala concert as part of the Festival of the Arts, Slosberg Recital Hall, Brandeis University, 5/1/11.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. Martin Boykan: String Quartet No. 3 and Motet (with Pamela Dellal, mezzo-soprano). TROY1196, 2011.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. Mohammad Fairouz: Lamentation and Satire. Dorian Sono Luminus DSL-92146, 2011.

New works by David Evan Jones, Yu-Hui Chang, Laurie San Martin, Chou Wen-chung, Paul Nauert, Hi Kyung Kim, Seung-Hee Lee, Vedran Mehinovic, In-Kyu Kim. Lydian String Quartet Performance; Violist Ray, Mary Ruth, in collaboration with the Contemporary Music Ensemble of Korea. Pacific Rim Music Festival, University of California at Santa Cruz, 4/24/10; Slosberg Recital Hall, Brandeis University, 4/26/10.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. Music by Women of the Americas from Three Centuries (Quartets by Florence Price, Ruth Lomon, Beth Denisch, Magaly Ruiz Lastres, and Terese Carreno). Womens Studies Research Center, Brandeis University, 2010.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. John Harbison: The First Four String Quartets. Centaur 2985, 2009.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Recording. Davy Rakowski: "Hecuba," with Yu-Hui Chang, piano and Robert Schulz, percussion. Brandeis Theater Company Production, 2009.

Faure: Piano Quartet in G minor, Op. 45 (with Ya-Fei Chuang, piano). Lydian String Quartet Performance; Violist Ray, Mary Ruth. Fundraising Concert for Barack Obama, Symphony Hall, Boston, 9/12/08.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Podcast for Art of the States. John Harbison: Quartet No. 3. (includes extensive verbal commentary by the composer). In association with WGBH radio, Boston with worldwide distribution, 2008.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Recording. J. S. Bach: Cantatas 30, 33 and G. F. Handel: Hercules, with Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, mezzo-soprano and the orchestra of Emmanuel Music, Craig Smith conducting. Avie Records AV2130, 2008.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Recording. Yu-Hui Chang: "Orphan of Zhao" (with Jiebing Chen, erhu, Yangqin Zhao, hammered dulcimer, Joshua Gordon, cello and Tim Feeney, percussion). Brandeis Theater Company Production, 2008.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. Lee Hyla: Fourth String Quartet. Tzadik Records, 2006.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. Vincent Persichetti: The Four String Quartets. Centaur 2833, 2006.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Motion Picture Soundtrack Recording. Peter Child: Skyscraper Music (composed for 3-DVD set "More Treasures from American Film Archives: 50 Films, 1894-1931". National Film Preservation Foundation with a NEH grant, 2004.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Recording. W. A. Mozart: Piano Concertos KV 466 in D Minor, KV 491 in C Minor (with Russell Sherman, piano and the Orchestra of Emmanuel Music, Craig Smith, conductor). EMM-001, 2004.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. Harold Shapero: Serenade for String Quintet, String Quartet, String Trio. New World Records 80569-2, 2003.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Recording. Lukas Foss: Griffelkin (3-act Opera with Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Gil Rose, conductor and Kendra Colton, soprano). Chandos 10067, 2003.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. Peter Child: String Quartet No. 2. New World Records 80594-2, 2002.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. John Harbison: String Quartet No. 3, "Thanks Victor" and "The Rewaking" (with Dominique Labelle, soprano). Musica Omnia 0110, 2001.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. Bob Nieske: Simplicity (with the Bob Nieske 3). Accurate AC5042, 2000.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. Yehudi Wyner: String Quartet, "Brandeis Sunday," and song cycle "On This Most Voluptous Night" (with Dominique Labelle, soprano). New World Records 80549-2, 2000.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Recording. Mario Davidovsky: Quartetto No. 2 for Oboe and String Trio (with Peggy Pearson, oboe, Bayla Keyes, violin and Rhonda Rider, cello). Bridge 9097, 2000.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Recording. Music of Hale Smith: Dialogues and Commentaries, with Boston Musica Viva, Richard Pittman, conductor. CRI 860, 2000.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. M. William Karlins: Quintet for Alto Saxophone and String Quartet (with Paul Bro, saxophone). Music from Northwestern, Vol. 8, CD from Northwestern University, 1999.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. Martin Boykan: String Quartet No. 4. CRI 786, 1998.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Motion Picture Soundtrack Recording. Saving Private Ryan (music composed and conducted by John Williams, with the Boston Pops Orchestra). Dreamworks Productions, 1998.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Recording. Ronald Perera: "Crossing the Meridian" (with John Aler, tenor, Jane Bryden, soprano and Boston Musica Viva). CRI 796, 1998.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. Johannes Brahms: Piano Quintet in F Minor; Viola Quintet in G Major (with Brandeis alumnae Sally Pinkas, piano and Betty Hauck, viola). CD produced by Brandeis University, 1997.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. Leo Ornstein: String Quartet No. 3 and Piano Quintet (with Janice Weber, piano). New World Records 80509-2, 1997.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Recording. Lee Hyla: In Double Light. Avant Japan, 1997.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. Allen Anderson: String Quartet. CRI 727, 1996.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. Gabriel Fauré: La Bonne Chanson, Op. 61 (with Sanford Sylvan, baritone and David Breitman, piano). Nonesuch 79371-2, 1996.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. Lee Hyla: We Speak Etruscan (String Quartets Nos. 2 and 3). New World Records 80491-2, 1996.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. Charles Fussell: "Being Music" (with Sanford Sylvan, baritone). Koch 3-7338-2 HI, 1995.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. Franz Schubert: Quartet in D Minor "Death and the Maiden" and Quartet in B-flat (with Mary Westbrook-Geha, mezzo-soprano). Centaur 2186, 1994.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. Linda Bouchard: "Lung Ta" (Bang on a Can Composer Series, Vol. 3). CRI 672, 1994.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. Peter Child: String Quartet No. 1. Neuma CD 450, 1994.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Recording. Donald Harris: "For the Night to Wear" (with Janice Meyerson, mezzo-soprano and Boston Musica Viva). CRI 666, 1994.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. John Harbison: Two String Quartets and "November 19, 1828" (with Yehudi Wyner, piano). Harmonia Mundi France 907057, 1992.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. Charles Ives: String Quartets. Centaur 2069, 1990.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. Lydian Quartet in Moscow (music of Levon Chaushian, Peter Child, Yelena Firsova, and Tom Oboe Lee). MCA, 1990.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Lydian String Quartet Recording. Irving Fine: String Quartet. Nonesuch 9 79175-2, 1988.

Ray, Mary Ruth. Motion Picture role as violist-performer in Boston Esplanade Orchestra. "Yes, Giorgio" (starring Luciano Pavarotti, tenor with Kathryn Harrold as his throat specialist and Eddie Albert as concert agent). Metro-Goldwyn Meyer, 1982.