Ruth Byrchmore was born and educated in Birmingham, England. She went on to study at Sheffield University (BMus) and graduated from the Academy in 1991 with an MMus in composition.
As a composer, Ruth began her career as RVW Trust/Parry Jerusalem Fellow & Composer in Residence at Wells Cathedral School. She went on to receive a British Composer Award for the MBF St Cecilia Day anthem A Birthday, performed by the joint choirs of Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral & St Paul’s Cathedral, and an RPS-Radio 3 Award for Education, for her children’s opera, Katerina for Welsh National Opera.
Formative commissions include Dark Night for The Sixteen, trombone concerto, Threads of Gold, for Mark Templeton and the recent Orgelbuchlein project. Her work is currently published by both Faber and Chester-Novello.
Ruth returned to the Academy in 1993 as a Tutor in Undergraduate Programmes and teacher within Academic Studies. She has also worked as Education Development Manager, Head of Open Academy & Associate Head of Composition, and Head of Alumni Development, and now as Senior Tutor in Undergraduate Programmes. She received Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Music (FRAM) in June 2012.