Heidi Ruby-Kushious
Heidi Ruby-Kushious plays flute and piccolo in the Columbus Symphony Orchestra (CSO). She received her Bachelor of Music from the Curtis Institute of Music as a scholarship student of Julius Baker, John Krell, and Murray Panitz. She continued her studies with Thomas Nyfenger at the Yale School of Music and with Alain Marion at the Salzburg Mozarteum.
Heidi made her solo recital debut in Carnegie Hall to rave reviews by Tim Page of The New York Times and has been featured as concerto soloist with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, CityMusic Cleveland, Curtis Symphony Orchestra, Yale Philharmonia, and Red {an orchestra} as well as in a duo concerto with Jean- Pierre Rampal and the Columbus Symphony Orchestra. As the first American flute finalist in 21 years, Heidi was Laureate Prize Winner of the prestigious Munich International Flute Competition. She received first prize in the Artists International, New York Flute Club, and National Flute Association competitions and was awarded the distinguished C.D. Jackson Master Award at Tanglewood.
In addition to playing flute and piccolo for twenty seasons with the CSO, Heidi has held Principal Flute positions in the Tanglewood, Spoleto, National Repertory, Cleveland Pops, Red {an orchestra}, and CityMusic Cleveland orchestras.
Since 1995, Heidi has enjoyed the opportunity of playing extra flute and piccolo in the Cleveland Orchestra and has had the distinct honor of playing with the ensemble on many domestic and international tours, including those celebrating its 100th year. She performs with the Blossom Festival Band and Orchestra every summer. Heidi also had the privilege of playing Second Flute in the Detroit Symphony (DSO) flute section for large portions of its 2008-13 seasons, including on DSO Live from Orchestra Hall recordings, DSO Beethoven Festival, and Carnegie Hall Spring for Music Festival concerts.
Heidi can be heard on numerous recordings, including Dominick Farinacci’s Short Stories and many Cleveland Orchestra, CityMusic Cleveland, and Columbus Symphony Orchestra releases.
Heidi is the Instructor of Flute for the Cleveland Institute of Music (CIM) – Case Western Reserve University Joint Music Program, CIM Preparatory Division, and Musical Pathway Fellowship program. She has been the Instructor of Flute at Kenyon College, Capital University, and The University of Akron, where she performed as a member of Solaris Woodwind Quintet. Heidi also enjoys coaching chamber music and teaching privately, having conservatory bound students accepted at prestigious institutions around the world.
She and her husband Paul Kushious, a Cleveland Orchestra cellist and former CSO cellist, tour as a chamber music duo called INNovation, performing at inns and resorts worldwide. They live in Chagrin Falls, OH, and enjoy the long drive to their home away from home in the Taconic Mountains of Vermont. Heidi and Paul have a daughter who dances for The Walt Disney Company and a son who is a photographer and videographer.