Ruth Cohen-Scheer

Viola Tutor

Ruth Cohen-Scheer studied History at Oxford University, followed by a post graduate Performance Diploma in Viola at the Royal Northern College of Music with Roger Chase and a Masters at Illinois University with the Vermeer Quartet and Richard Young. After graduating, she freelanced in Chicago and London with many leading orchestras, recorded on major film, television scores and jingles and toured internationally with many artists and bands including, Andrea Bocelli and Pavarotti. She was principal viola of the Chicago Civic Orchestra performing with guest conductors including Barenboim, Boulez, Solti, Mehta, and Tilson-Thomas. She also toured internationally as a chamber musician, including a two-month residency in Japan, and worked with orchestras as part of their education outreach projects, including the London Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony orchestra.

Ruth’s passion is teaching and chamber music particularly getting disadvantaged children musical opportunities. Her work includes directing Finchley Strings Holiday Courses and a weekly string orchestra, which has reached the final of Music for Youth, performing in Birmingham Symphony Hall, winning prizes in festivals and competitions. Currently, she has many violin and viola students including around 90 a week in Hackney in free group lessons and is proud to have helped some achieve places at the Junior Conservatoires.

She has been coaching the violas in the ESO for several years and looks forward to October 2021 with such fantastic repertoire.