Sebastian Ruth, Viola

Sebastian Ruth is the Founder and Artistic Director of Community MusicWorks (CMW), an organization in Providence, Rhode Island that pairs a professional ensemble of musicians with neighborhood residents.  In 2024, CMW celebrated a milestone by moving into its first purpose-built 24,000-square-foot center, expanding its reach and vision. Today, CMW’s 15 resident musicians and guest artists present a full season of chamber music, commission new works, and offer a tuition-free education program to 150 young people from nearby communities. CMW also trains the next generation of musicians through fellowships and artist residencies focused on socially engaged careers. As a violinist and violist with the MusicWorks Collective, Sebastian has performed across the U.S. and Canada, collaborating with ensembles such as the Borromeo, Kronos, Muir, Miro, Orion, and Turtle Island String Quartets, and sharing the stage with artists including Emanuel Ax, Jonathan Biss, Kim Kashkashian, Frank Rosenwein, and Jonathan Gandelsman. Sebastian also teaches at the Yale School of Music, where he offers the course Music, Service, and Society and his online Coursera class Music and Social Action has reached more than 25,000 learners worldwide. A recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship (2010) and an honorary degree from Brown University (2012), Sebastian continues to explore the intersections of performance, teaching, and community engagement. 

Upcoming Concerts: Enchantment June 10, 2026