Ruth Dwyer

Artistic Director

Columbus Indiana Children’s Choir

Ruth E. Dwyer is a frequent guest conductor and clinician for honors choirs, festivals, conferences and universities across the United States and abroad.  She is internationally recognized as a treble and children’s choir specialist and Kodaly educator.  She has conducted numerous All-State and National Honors Choirs for ACDA, MENC, OAKE and other organizations.  Mrs. Dwyer has also conducted the FSI National Children’s Choir at Lincoln Center.  She is the Artistic Director & Founder of the Northern Lights Choral Festival in Alaska, Best Girls Choir Festival in Chicago and the Hoosier Hills Choral Festival in Columbus.

As the Associate Director of the Indianapolis Children's Choir (ICC) since 1988, Ruth’s work has allowed her to tour throughout the United States and abroad.  Her choirs have performed throughout Central Europe, for the Indiana Music Educators Association, the National Orff Conference, as a featured choir in Carnegie Hall and at festivals in Hawaii, Alaska, Oregon, Florida and Canada.

As Director of Education for the ICC since 1996, she is involved in curriculum development, program development, assisting and mentoring the teaching staff and working with university/student interns.  Mrs. Dwyer has taught for Butler University and is a published composer, choral arranger, textbook author and music editor.  Presently, her works are available through Colla Voce, ICC and Hal Leonard.

Prior to her fulltime position with ICC, she served the State of Indiana for 19 years as a public school music educator, spending many of those years in the Seymour schools.  In 1996, Ruth was named the Outstanding Elementary Music Educator of the Year, by the Indiana Music Educators Association.  Her teaching experiences have included K through 12 choral/general music, collegiate music, handbells, choir chimes and church choirs.  Ruth Dwyer earned both her Bachelor and Masters degrees from Indiana University, Bloomington where she majored in music education, voice and secondary education.  While attending Indiana University she received her Kodaly certification under the tutelage on Mary Goetze and Jean Sinor.

The cooperative effort between the Columbus Philharmonic and the ICC began in 1996 when the Columbus Indiana Children’s Choir was formed and Ruth Dwyer was named Artistic Director.  She has brought the same sense of professionalism and excitement to the CICC program for which the renowned ICC program is internationally known.    

When she has time, Ruth enjoys sailing the waters of Lake Michigan with her husband, Dean, on their sailboat, “Invader.”

Ruth Dwyer