“I’m in awe of Ruthie,” Dan De Leon said. “I still have voice memos on my phone from when I’d stand outside her room and record her singing to herself, not knowing I was listening in. In retrospect, I captured those recordings thinking, ‘She won’t sing like this forever. She’ll find other hobbies when she gets older, or insecurities might kick in where she feels like her voice doesn’t sound good enough to let loose.’ It was a parent’s way of keeping time in a bottle. So, now that she’s still singing in her room without concern for whether someone’s listening in, and she’s singing on stages with growing confidence, I feel in awe of her accomplishments.”
Junior Ruthie De Leon’s father can barely control his joy when he sees his daughter perform. This spring, he will follow her to New York City, where she will play the violin as part of the Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall.
Musicians will perform under master conductors while connecting with like-minded high schoolers from across the globe. The High School Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall was established to showcase some of the most talented high school student performers in the United States. Through an individual nomination and selection process, accomplished students are brought together in New York City with peers to comprise the Honors Instrumental Ensembles.
“I have to thank my violin teacher for the opportunity because she was the one who nominated me,” Ruthie said. “I wouldn’t have been able to have this opportunity without her trust in me and my abilities, and I can’t wait to learn all I can from performing at Carnegie Hall.”
Though Ruthie has only received violin instruction from Marianne Henry for the past six years, Henry recognizes how talented Ruthie is and says she feels blessed by the chance to be a part of her musical journey.
“I thought the experience of working with the orchestra in New York would add to Ruthie being a well-rounded musician,” Henry said. “The experience of playing with like-minded students at Carnegie Hall will help her grow, and she will remember this experience for the rest of her life.”
Henry believes Ruthie’s character, values, and priorities have led to her success as a musician.
“Ruthie is always well-prepared for her lessons,” Henry said. “She always asks questions about the music and technique, so her growth has been steady and on point. Ruthie is a mature musician for her age. She takes the highs and lows well and always learns from mistakes without dwelling on them.”
Ruthie’s mother, Stacy De Leon, is excited that her daughter’s talent and hard work have earned her this remarkable opportunity.
“Playing at Carnegie Hall is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and we can’t wait to see her perform,” Stacy De Leon said. “Not only will Ruthie get to play on that iconic stage, but she’ll also learn so much in the days leading up to the performance through clinics with the conductor and other performers and the exciting experiences in New York City.”
While the piano is Ruthie’s favorite instrument and the cornerstone of her musical endeavors, she also plays the guitar, violin, and ukulele, adding depth to her understanding of music. They have also helped develop her ear, an essential part of any musician’s skill set. In turn, her piano study has helped her be more accurate in playing other instruments and singing.
“Ruthie has a tremendous work ethic and doesn’t back down from a challenge,” piano teacher Chris Hoffman said. “No matter how busy life gets, she sets aside enough time to accomplish her musical goals. It is easy for young musicians to completely put off their musical studies and practice due to being ‘too busy,’ but Ruthie simply doesn’t do that. She has a mature, expressive side, and I find that her expressiveness surpasses her peers.”
Ruthie’s passion for music developed at a young age, and her musical talent has only grown since then.
“When I was about seven, I wanted to take voice lessons because singing was always a big part of my life, but I ended up learning piano instead,” Ruthie said. “Since then, I’ve picked up the violin and started playing music more and have been building from there in different ways. Music has always been a big part of who I am.”
Ruthie’s dad grew up playing in bands throughout high school and college, and wrote music, which later influenced Ruthie to take up the hobby.
“Music has always been a big part of my life, mainly because of my dad,” Ruthie said. “He’s raised me on different genres, especially in the car. He always had something different playing every time.”
With a love for so many genres, it has given Ruthie’s piano teacher an avenue to challenge her across the musical spectrum.
“Ruthie’s technical abilities have progressed significantly over the past few years,” Hoffman said. “She allows me to challenge her with some ‘heavy-hitting’ repertoire, making learning pieces at a slightly lower level an even faster process. Additionally, her expressive abilities allow her to play with maturity beyond her years.”
After their first Facebook Live performance, the duo returned each weekend to play a song to keep themselves occupied and others entertained during COVID-19. Once quarantine restrictions were lifted, they began playing at local establishments. Ruthie and her dad appreciate many different genres of music and have performed rock, pop, alternative, and country songs at various venues.
“It’s so much fun working with my dad,” Ruthie said. “I think it has to do with our relationship because it really lends itself to that kind of creativity.”
Ruthie and her dad perform as the duo Roo and the Preacher Dad, derived from her nickname and the fact that her dad is a local pastor. During quarantine, many people found themselves bored, so Ruthie and her dad played “The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers on Facebook Live as a skit. With so many people in their church family supporting them, they had an automatic following. From there, Ruthie began to venture into the world of song writing.
“The first song I wrote was during quarantine in sixth grade,” Ruthie said. “I was bored and came up with lyrics I wrote on a sticky note and stuck it on my mirror. At that point, I didn’t play the guitar or the ukulele, so I couldn’t really compose music for the songs, so at first, I just started with lyrics and melodies. When I finished, I would go to my dad, sing the song to him, and he would make a guitar part for the songs I wrote.”
Ruthie is able to make connections to different aspects of her life and use her talent to transform those connections into a song.
“I’ve written four songs that we performed already, and I’m in the midst of writing another one,” Ruthie said. “The four songs I’ve written are all about books because I read a lot and really connect to the characters.”
As Ruthie grows and matures as an artist, she has branched out as a songwriter to express herself more personally.
“There are new challenges every time I sit down to write,” Ruthie said. “At first, I was really insecure about whether the lyrics were meaningful enough or poetic enough because I never wanted them to be too literal,” Ruthie said. “My writing has changed a little now because I’ve started being more detailed, and I’ve also started playing the ukulele, which adds a new level of complexity to my writing.”
Ruthie’s personal relationships spark inspiration for her music.
“The song I’m writing right now has more to do with my relationships, specifically about the people that are really important to me,” Ruthie said. “I’m trying to interpret my feelings and write more about them than others.”
Ruthie’s father has noticed that her confidence and instrumental ability have grown since she began composing music more frequently.
“It hits differently, playing guitar behind her when I hear her original voice come out,” Dan De Leon said. “Also, from my observation, writing her own songs inspires Ruthie to learn to play guitar and ukulele and to try singing while playing piano, which she tells me is particularly challenging. Composing has built up Ruthie’s confidence and expanded her musical abilities.”
It is heartwarming to Dan De Leon that his daughter genuinely loves performing with him.
“The other ‘heaven on earth’ thing about it is that my kid enjoys performing alongside me,” Dan De Leon said. “She actually likes being on stage with me in front of people, and she always looks forward to our next gig. It’s not a chore for her to play music with her dad, which makes me feel awesome, knowing that what we’re doing on that stage together is real, not an act, and that there’s no place either of us would rather be in those moments.”
Ruthie has already started making a list of options for pursuing music after high school. The University of Texas is on her radar because of its well-recognized music program.
“I’m interested in composition and composing music,” Ruthie said. “I want to be able to pursue other things as well, but I can’t see myself not doing music.”
Stacy De Leon is in awe of her daughter’s musical talent and has admired it since the early stages of Ruthie’s life.
“I hope to see Ruthie pursue this passion for music that she has always had,” Stacy De Leon said. “She used to hum little tunes she’d hear before she could even talk – I always knew she’d be musical in some way.”
Ruthie and her dad enjoy performing in front of a live audience because of the crowd and excitement. Though they have not written music together yet, they are comfortable discussing their ideas and getting help from each other during the writing process.
“When we first started playing, we played at a local venue called Kinder Hill BrewLab,” Ruthie said. “We started playing there regularly and added gigs at The 101 downtown and several festivals.”
The duo also played at the world-famous South by Southwest concert in Austin at Mean Eyed Cat, one of the smaller venues.
“The official South by Southwest Music Festival is for more prominent artists, but Austin also wants to showcase their local music venues and make the event accessible to people who aren’t as well known by helping to jump-start their careers,” Ruthie said. “Since my parents grew up in Austin, many people who don’t usually get to see us play were able to come out and enjoy the music, which made it a really fun event.”
Ruthie’s father sees music as a way to learn about life and knows that it is a part of everything Ruthie does.
“Music has given Ruthie experiences that she would not have otherwise,” Dan De Leon said. “Those experiences have taught her how to make mistakes publicly, how to accept compliments and praise humbly, how to take art seriously, and how to hold the unplanned moment that comes with certain live music performances with such care that the audience appreciates you in ways that simultaneously bolster your confidence and maintain your humility.”
Dan DeLeon is thankful for his role in guiding Ruthie through her musical journey and cannot wait to see where the journey takes her.
“Music has made Ruthie a creature of grace, charm, and kindness,” Dan De Leon said. “This proud parent, who was steeped in music from a young age, is just trying to keep up.”
