Ruth Molins breathes energy into sound through flutes, as a performing artist, teacher and composer.
Her playing ‘inspire[s] imagination with its liquid purity, technical assurance and emotional integrity’ (Andrew M Wilson, composer), creating ‘gorgeous performance[s] - atmospheric, delicate, sweet-sounding' (Judith Hall, flautist).
She studied flute at Cardiff University with Susan Buckland and post-degree continued her specialist studies with lessons from Anna Noakes, Susie Hodder-Williams and Michael Cox and in masterclasses with Jonathan Snowden, Ian Clarke and Carla Rees; alongside nurturing a family.
Ruth performs as Duo Tutti with pianist Alex Wilson, they are artists for Live Music Now and in 2024 are recording an album and commissioning new music for the bass flute. Dartmouth Orchestra are currently commissioning a new concerto for flute and bass flute, composed by Andrew M. Wilson, and written for Ruth, to be performed in Winter 2024. Other recent projects have included: a performance with pianist Margaret Fingerhut of a new work, 'The Marsh Fritillary Butterfly', by composer Gabrielle Mills; a performance and recording on a rare 300-year-old flute in collaboration with Ian Summers, Torquay Museum and A Quiet Night In; and a new work, ‘Ancient Rites’, for flute trio (for flute, alto, bass and piccolo) by Andrew M. Wilson, dedicated to Ruth, performed and recorded by Flute Cake and published by Wonderful Winds.
She has extensive orchestral experience, playing flute, piccolo and alto flute with Exeter Symphony Orchestra, Devon Philharmonic Orchestra and the Devon County Youth Symphony Orchestra throughout her teens and early twenties, and more recently playing freelance with ensembles such as East Devon Choral Society, Exeter Bach Society and Exeter Philharmonic Choir. She has appeared as a concerto soloist twice with Exeter Symphony Orchestra, performing John Rutter Suite Antique and Mozart Flute and Harp Concerto.
She loves contemporary music-making and improvisation, playing with A Quiet Night In and The Seat of the Pants Orchestra. Ruth has been a founding member of many chamber ensembles: Flute Cake, The Marsyas Quartet, Duo Tutti, Volo Trio and The Zephyr Duo. Chamber performance highlights include Takemitsu And then I knew t’was wind at Nourish Festival; Sam Richards The Night of the Storm and the Wind at Hallsands cliff top; Judith Weir The Prelude at St Nicholas Priory; William Alwyn Naiades at Powderham Castle; Delibes Le Rossignol at Dart Music Festival; all Duo Tutti performances and workshops for Live Music Now! She has performed on Skylark FM, Phonic FM, Radio Devon, BBC Spotlight and the Late Junction on BBC Radio 3.
Her teaching career began early, aged 17, as director of the East Devon music centre flute choir, starting an ongoing journey of teaching, adjudicating, workshop-leading and community-making. Ruth has taught flute and piano in primary and secondary schools; to adults; tutored on the Blue Sky Chamber Music course; and founded and directed the community ensemble Exeter Flutes from 2016 – 2020. She currently teaches flute and musicianship classes at Exeter School and privately. Her composition Make Room was performed at the Villages in Action festival, From Devon With Love.
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