Sergio Ruiz named director of Glenn Korff School of Music

Sergio Ruiz, professor of music and chair of the Georgia College Department of Music, has been named the new director of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Glenn Korff School of Music. Ruiz will begin his new position on July 1.

He replaces John W. Richmond, who left the university last year to become of the dean of the College of Music at the University of North Texas in Denton. Peter Lefferts has been interim director of the Korff School since July.

“We are pleased that Dr. Sergio Ruiz has accepted our invitation to be the new director of the Glenn Korff School of Music,” said Chuck O’Connor, endowed dean of the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts. “He has the vision and experience to build upon the successes of the school and continue their trajectory to become one of the finest music schools in the nation. I look forward to working with Dr. Ruiz in the years to come.”

Ruiz, a Steinway artist, has been chair of the Georgia College Department of Music since 2013. Prior to that, he was director of keyboard studies from 2004-13 and director of the Institute of Latin American Music Studies from 2007-2013 at Sam Houston State University School of Music in Huntsville, Texas.

He earned a doctorate of musical arts in piano performance from Rice University, his master’s degree in music from Cleveland Institute of Music and his bachelor of arts from Santa Clara University.

“It is a great honor to be named director of the Glenn Korff School of Music,” Ruiz said. “I’d like to thank the remarkable faculty, staff, administration and students for placing their trust in me. I’m thrilled to join a great team of world-class artists and scholars and look forward to a very bright future together.”

His performances on Spanish-speaking radio broadcasts have aired throughout South and Central America. Most recently, he performed concerts in the Czech Republic, Belgium, Germany, Bolivia, Ecuador and Mexico. Ruiz studied piano in Barcelona under the tutelage of the late pianist Alicia de Larrocha. He has prepared an edition of the piano chamber music of Spanish composer Enrique Granados (1867-1916). He recently completed a recording project of the chamber music of South American composer Gustavo Navarre (1931-2006).

Ruiz has judged several piano competitions and festivals in the United States and South America, where he was invited back to judge the National Piano competition of Ecuador. He has also participated in many state and international competitions, including the Gina Bachauer and Concert Artist Guild competitions.

In 2009, he won the Texas Music Teachers Association Collegiate Teacher of the Year Award. In 2011, he won the Faculty Excellence in Service Award. He also was Artistic Director of a Youth Symphony and Music program in León, Mexico, and has been on the summer faculty at Interlochen Academy for the Arts since 2008. Ruiz was the creator and artistic director of a Latin American Arts and Humanities Festival—Festival (de) Inspiración.