The Board of the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra & Music School announced their new music director, Ruth Reinhardt, at their cumulative Gala on Saturday. Serving as the sixth music director for the organization, Reinhardt will take over eighty years of music and history under her wing.

Reinhardt was appointed by recommendation of the RI Philharmonic Music Director’s Search Committee. Her achievements in performance and musical intelligence make Reinhardt a generational talent, entering her first music director position at only thirty-six years old.

Born in Saarbrücken, Germany, Reinhardt attended Zurich’s University of the Arts and received her master’s degree in conducting from the Julliard School. Her collaborative approach to conducting and performing has ignited Reinhardt’s lengthy resume, with guest conductor appearances at many of the best orchestras in Europe and the United States.

An up-and-coming master of her craft, Reinhardt brings a fresh face to Providence while underlining the significance of women in musical composition and conducting. Her previous work with the RI Philharmonic includes premiers of works by other female pioneers in the field of music, such as Grażyna Bacewicz and the late Kaija Saariaho.

In recent seasons, Reinhardt served as the assistant conductor of the Lucerne Festival Academy Orchestra and several other notable ensembles, such as the symphony orchestras of San Francisco, New York, Frankfurt and Berlin.

“We were all impressed by the way Ms. Reinhardt brought out the best in our musicians; she has that rare ability to be a leader who is clear about her ideas and eminently approachable,” says RI Philharmonic Board Chair Susan Chung. “She has a wonderful rapport with the Orchestra and won rave reviews from our students and faculty at the Music School this past January.”

Courtesy of the RI Philharmonic Orchestra and Music

Some of Reinhardt’s responsibilities as music director include leading the Orchestra’s TACO and The White Family Foundation Classical and Amica Rush Hour Series concerts at their annual Gala. While continuing to guest conduct internationally, she will also take initiatives with local universities and organizations to foster further meaningful connections.

“From our very first encounters, I have been impressed and inspired by the musicians and their ability to bring tremendous energy and musical precision to whatever they play,” says Reinhardt. “The Orchestra’s collaborative, community-minded spirit is very much in tune with my own commitment to sharing music beyond the concert hall.”

Reinhardt’s greatest interests mimic a contemporary repertoire, focusing namely on pieces from the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Her work has been acclaimed throughout a wide range of sophisticated reviews.

“Her animated podium presence, devoid of histrionics, affirmed a sturdy musical intelligence and emotional vitality,” says Musical America, one of America’s oldest and most reputable online music publications.  “From start to finish, the musicians responded in kind.”

Make sure to visit the RI Philharmonic events page to stay up to date on upcoming performances, community partnerships and opportunities through the Music School.