Boston Symphony Orchestra and Andris Nelsons Name New Horn Player 

The Boston Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Andris Nelsons have announce the appointment of Austin Ruff as the orchestra's newest horn player.

Originally from Richardson, Texas, Ruff joins the BSO from the Omaha Symphony, where he is associate principal horn. He has also performed with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the Kansas City Symphony, the Rochester Philharmonic, the New World Symphony, and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Last summer, Ruff was a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center. 

Ruff will join the BSO as assistant principal/utility horn, covering multiple horn parts within the section as needed, a position that demands immense skill and versatility. He fills the vacancy left by Jonathan Menkis, who retired from the BSO after 34 seasons in 2018. 

Ruff will be one of four new musicians in the BSO's 2024–25 season, joining principal flute Lorna McGhee, associate principal bassoon Josh Baker, and section percussionist Toby Grace, whose appointments were announced in April. The newly appointed players will first perform with the BSO during the Opening Weekend concerts at Symphony Hall (Sept. 19–21), which include a fundraising gala celebrating Andris Nelsons' tenth anniversary season and a world premiere by Composer Chair Carlos Simon, a Boston Pops Cirque de Symphonie performance conducted by Keith Lockhart, and a free Concert for the City jointly led by Nelsons, Lockhart, and Thomas Wilkins and featuring guest artists from the community. 

Statement from BSO Music Director Andris Nelsons:

“We are pleased to welcome the newest member of the horn section, Austin Ruff, to the Boston Symphony Orchestra. I first conducted Austin in the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra last summer, and it is always a joy to get to continue making music with the alumni of this wonderful program, from which so many BSO musicians (including three out of the four new players this season) have graduated. As we prepare for a busy season of performances, culminating in our 2025 appearance at Shostakovich Festival Leipzig, Austin's skill and musicality will be a wonderful addition to the beautiful sound of our orchestra.”

Statement from Austin Ruff: 

“I am so thrilled to be joining the horn section of the Boston Symphony Orchestra! I was fortunate to be able to work and study with the section last summer at the Tanglewood Music Center and to join such a supportive and collaborative group is an honor. I am beyond excited to make music with my new colleagues and Maestro Nelsons in Boston this fall!”  

More about Austin Ruff

Austin Ruff joins the Boston Symphony Orchestra horn section at the start of the 2024–25 season. Originally from Richardson, Texas, he began playing horn when he was 11. Having fallen in love with symphonic music, he went on to study music performance at Southern Methodist University, graduating in 2021 with a Bachelor of Music in Horn Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. While at SMU, he studied under Greg Hustis, Haley Hoops, David Heyde, and Alex Kienle and was awarded the Presser Undergraduate Scholar Award. Ruff also studied with Gail Williams and Jon Boen while pursuing a master's degree at Northwestern University. Other notable mentors include John Henes and Neil Kimmel. During his time in Chicago, Ruff was an Associate Musician with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. Austin Ruff was appointed associate principal horn of the Omaha Symphony in spring 2022. He also performed in the Kansas City Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, New World Symphony, and Dallas Symphony Orchestra, where he also appeared as guest principal horn. He was a Fellow of the Tanglewood Music Center, Sarasota Music Festival, and the National Repertory Orchestra, where he was a concerto competition winner and featured soloist. 

How to Purchase Tickets

Subscriptions to the 2024–25 BSO season are now available to purchase by calling 888-266-1200 or visiting bso.org; single tickets go on sale July 25 at 10 a.m. 

About the BSO

Led by Music Director Andris Nelsons since 2014, the Boston Symphony Orchestra gave its inaugural concert in 1881 and opened Symphony Hall—widely acclaimed as one of the greatest concert halls in the world—in 1900. Today, the BSO reaches millions of listeners through not only its concert performances in Boston and at Tanglewood—the orchestra's summer home in Lenox and Stockbridge, Mass.—but also via educational and community programs, radio, television, recordings, and tours. Celebrated for its diverse programs, passionate performances, and tradition of innovation, the BSO is one of the world's most accomplished and versatile ensembles, attracting world-renowned guest artists and players, composers, and conductors. More information about the BSO and Andris Nelsons may be found at bso.org.

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