UK Grad Student Hermelindo Ruiz Releases New CD 'Vital'
Hermelindo Ruiz talks about his book and previous CD on Juan F. Acosta's music, as well as shares music from the CD.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 4, 2016) — University of Kentucky graduate student, classical guitarist and composer Hermelindo Ruiz has been hard at work for the last year and a half putting together his latest project "Vital," a CD of music he's composed throughout his life.
"The idea with this CD was to do a compilation of the pieces that I think would resonate with a wider audience. Each piece has its own story and inspiration," Ruiz said. "My goal was to make an album that could appeal both to the people who listen just for merely enjoyment, with very melodic and accessible pieces that I wrote when I was 16 and 17 years old, to more serious and even abstract pieces aimed for more deep listeners."
Born in the heart of the mountains of the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, Ruiz started playing the guitar at the age of eight and hasn't stopped since. He claims his sole purpose for playing throughout his entire life was because he "could not find anything else that gave him more drive and motivation." He moved to the United States in 2010.
Ruiz has been described by the National Foundation of Popular Culture as a "refined composer, creative guitarist and an individual of great virtues." His concert performances have taken him to many stages around the world including Carnegie Hall in New York and the Áurreo Herrero Festival in Spain, among others. He was the recipient of the Andrés Segovia-José Miguel Ruiz Morales Prize in 2011 and the Orden Ángel Mislán in 2009 for his first CD, "Juan F. Acosta: Danzas Puertorriqueñas." To date, Ruiz's musical compositions have been performed in France, Slovenia, Italy, Portugal, Mexico, Argentina, Zimbabwe, Thailand, China and Russia.
Currently pursuing a doctoral degree at the UK School of Music, Ruiz holds a master's degree and an artist diploma from Yale University and a bachelor's degree from the Music Conservatory of Puerto Rico. Ruiz is a member of the UK Guitar Studio directed by Dieter Hennings, assistant professor of guitar.
"Hermelindo Ruiz is the ideal doctoral student. A passionate scholar and composer with an international career well under way. His commitment to his craft continues to take him to concert stages across the world, meanwhile maintaining a rigorous recording schedule. Mr. Ruiz is not only an international ambassador for his beloved Puerto Rico, but for the UK College of Fine Arts, as well," said his mentor, Hennings.
For more information on Ruiz and his music projects or to buy his new CD, visit his website.
The UK School of Music at the UK College of Fine Arts has garnered a national reputation for high-caliber education in opera, choral and instrumental music performance, as well as music education, composition, and theory and music history.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, 859-257-8716; whitney.hale@uky.edu