BIO

Ruth Stokes is a cellist invested in musical collaboration and innovation. Her playing is characterized by a rich dark tone, passionate phrasing, and dynamic interpretations. Ruth is currently based in NYC working on chamber projects, performing as a freelance solo, chamber, and orchestral cellist, and teaching. She is also beginning a Professional Studies Diploma at Mannes School of Music this Fall 2025.

Before moving to NYC, Ruth performed for four months with Bad Bunny's Most Wanted Tour with the Miami-based Philharmonic Orchestra Project. She completed her Master's degree in Cello Performance in 2024 at Penn State University as a Graduate Teaching Assistant studying with professor Kim Cook. Originally from Minnesota, Ruth received her Bachelor’s degree in 2022 from Frost School of Music at the University of Miami where she was a Stamps Distinguished Ensemble Scholar with the Stamps String Quartet from 2018-2022. Ruth has studied with cellists Ross Harbaugh and Tom Rosenberg, and has received lessons, masterclasses, and coachings with musicians such as Edward Arron, Nicholas Cannelakis, Gary Hoffman, Charles Castleman, István Várdai, Seth Parker Woods, Benjamin Beilman, David Ying, Robin Scott, Krzysztof Karpeta, Tim Deighton, Jodi Levitz, Bettina Mussumeli, the Jasper String Quartet, the Thalea String Quartet, and the Danish String Quartet.
 
Ruth has spent the summers at music festivals in Ohio, Massachusetts, New York, Minnesota, California, and Pennsylvania, as well as overseas in Germany and Poland. In the past year she has joined orchestras such as Symphony in C and Allentown Symphony as a substitute cellist. In 2024 she performed as co-principal cello with the Philharmonic Orchestra Project on tour. Ruth was a principal of the Chamber and Philharmonic Orchestras at Penn State School of Music, and she won the 2023 Penn State Concerto Competition playing Ernest Bloch's Schelomo. Ruth also played with the Altoona and Williamsport Symphony Orchestras, and she frequently performs solo, chamber, and outreach concerts. Ruth taught at Penn State from 2022-2024 and has been teaching privately for many years. She has given performance classes at Concordia Academy in MN and Altoona Area High School in PA. Throughout her undergraduate degree Ruth performed extensively throughout South Florida as well as in New York, South Carolina, and Georgia with the Stamps Quartet.
 
Ruth's most recent chamber and solo projects include summer performances at Lyricafest Boston and the Next Festival of Emerging Artists, piano trio performances in Pennsylvania, sonata performances as a member of Cześć Duo with Piotr Kozłowski, performing Ernest Bloch's Schelomo with the PSU Philharmonic Orchestra, selections from a Bloch Suite for solo cello on one of the PSU Rhapsody Series faculty recitals, Shades for solo cello by Daijana Wallace for the Penn State African American Music Festival, Tan Dun's Elegy: Snow in June for solo cello and percussion ensemble, Postludium DSCH by Valentin Silvestrov for a Ukrainian sister city benefit concert, PSU graduate ensemble performances, and premieres of both solo and ensemble works by student composers at Penn State.