Ruth Kravis, Violin
Picture this: A 15-year-old Ruth sits in her Canberra (Australia) garage, carefully, patiently building an entire electric violin out of Canadian maple wood. And it actually works! Hooked up to speakers and everything. You will not be surprised to learn that Ruth is now pursuing a PhD in electrical engineering and plays violin with Prometheus. “My design was purely aesthetic,” Ruth laughs, “in what I thought was a really cool ‘S’ shape with the chin rest at the bottom of the S. It looked incredible. But it was totally unwieldy and way too heavy to really play.”
Ruth grew up in Canberra, the capital of Australia. When she was 7 years old, a family friend who played violin with the Canberra Symphony and gave Ruth a few lessons. When she was 8, she went to a Steiner school (called Waldorf here) that had a required string program! “Everyone had to choose violin or cello” (no violas allowed, but that might be a joke for another day). She chose violin, had lessons and played throughout her school years. And her father, in solidarity, got himself a violin and learned to play too! And her mother did too!
Ruth played with the Canberra Youth Orchestra System, a tiered system of orchestras with increasing proficiency. And in a small Sinfonia group of professionals and proficient amateurs. She also joined the Maruki Community Orchestra—with her parents!—which prides itself on afternoon rehearsal teas.
While at Australia National University, in Canberra, Ruth stopped lessons but did play in the University Orchestra. And she got a double degree: BS in Engineering and BA in Philosophy and Economics. Two degrees at the same time! After a gap year for “work, research, music and sport” (and maybe some sleeping), Ruth felt the pull of California. Specifically, Cal Berkeley, which has a rather well known electrical engineering program. “Berkeley felt like the right fit for me as a whole person.” Ruth found Prometheus through a friend and enjoys the camaraderie of playing music in a group. And she can also be found playing fiddle at Irish pubs. “Playing by ear is very different from playing orchestral music. You attend to different things and it’s a lot of fun.” Plus beer is encouraged.
So will Ruth play with Prometheus after she completes her PhD? “Oh, I’ll likely return to Australia,” she says. To Ruth’s parents: Stop reading now—don’t read any further! “But I do have several years to go here. And you never know…I might find things to keep me here…” Well we certainly hope so!
~ Joyce Vollmer
