Ruth Palmer

Described as “the most distinctive violinist of her generation” (The Independent), Ruth Palmer is praised by audiences and critics alike for her “intensity” and “poetic grandeur” (The Guardian).

In 2018 while recording her Direct-to-Disc LP of Bach’s C Major Sonata and E Major Partita at the Meistersaal in Berlin she was offered a record contract on the spot by Rainer Maillard, founder of Berliner Meister Schallplatten with whom the recording has recently been released.

Earlier recordings include Hidden Acoustics, featuring Bach’s Solo D minor Partita and Bartok’s Solo Sonata which received critical acclaim (“impeccable astringent Bartók and warm, profound Bach” The Observer); and her debut recording of Shostakovich Concerto No.1 and Violin Sonata with the Philharmonia Orchestra, Benjamin Wallfisch and Alexei Grynyuk. This became a cult recording (“her tone is so sweatily intense that one cannot turn away” The Times) and was accompanied by a BBC Radio 4 documentary and independent film A People’s Music filmed in London, St Petersburg and Paris. The recording subsequently won a Classical BRIT award.

Ruth also starred as protagonist in a film about fine violins called “In Search of the Messiah”, filming in the UK, Taiwan, and USA, which aired on Sky Arts in the UK and on television in Israel, Australia, and North and South America as well as in film festivals and venues in Italy and USA in conjunction with Ruth’s live performances.

Performing live, Ruth has played with eminent musicians including James Ehnes, Gabriela Montero, Sir Richard Rodney Bennett, Yutaka Sado, Carlo Rizzi, Vasily Petrenko and with orchestras including Academy of St Martin in the Fields, BBC Philharmonic, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, and at the LSO Violinists! series. She has given UK and world premieres of music by Sir John Tavener (whose music she also recorded for EMI), Sir Richard Rodney Bennett, Gwilym Simcock, and her father Geoff Palmer.

Ruth has performed live on BBC Radio 3, Classic FM (UK), King FM (USA), and other international broadcasters as well as at festivals including Crossing Borders in The Hague, Ravinia in Chicago, and Edinburgh and Cheltenham festivals in the UK. A dual British and Irish national, at the invitation of the British Embassy in British Week she gave masterclasses and performances in Havana, Cuba; has performed at the British Ambassador’s Residence in Brussels; and for Prince Charles and for Queen Elizabeth II in the UK.

Curious about artistic parallels with other disciplines, Ruth has collaborated with contemporary dance companies including Rambert and Sydney Dance Companies, giving solo performances with dance in Munich Opera House Germany; Madrid, Spain; theatres across the UK; Sydney's Wharf Theatre, Australia; and Kichijoji Theatre Tokyo, Japan (“brilliant young violinist” Financial Times). “It was sometimes a struggle to concentrate on the dance when the violinist was so compelling” (Sunday Telegraph).

Ruth’s mentors are Felix Andrievsky and Miriam Fried.