Ruth Murata-Eisen completed her degree at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio. She won the TriState competition and performed as soloist with the Colombus Symphony Orchestra. Although Ruth had completed her degree and received two scholarship offers for her Master’s Degree, she abandoned her dream to be recruited by the late Margaret Cameron to return to Maui in order to take over an existing piano teacher’s 50 students. Thus started Ruth’s career in teaching. By her third year of this endeavor, 3 students had won the opportunity to play with the Honolulu Symphony as soloists. Her youngest student soloist was 7 years old. Over the years, many students have been selected to play with the Honolulu Symphony as well as the Maui Symphony Orchestra. Two students were recently selected to perform on National Public Radio's program, "From the Top". One student made it to the semi-finals at the Joanna Hodges International Piano Competition. Ruth has been teaching for 38 years. She owns the Maui Music Conservatory, located at the Queen Ka’ahumanu Shopping Center, which supports teachers of piano, violin, guitar, ukulele and voice.
Ruth credits her success as a teacher to her mother who forced her to play the piano. Although she begged and cried, her mother would never let her quit. When the family moved to Maui, her parents announced that she would not be moving with them. Ruth had to stay in Honolulu to continue studies with her teacher. Ruth's mother is still teaching and teaches with Ruth at the music school one day a week.
Although many people know other details about Ruth's life, for her, one of the most fulfilling activities that she does, besides teaching, is crafting. She makes hand-made cards, jewelry and other hand made items. She runs the kids craft club at the Ka’ahumanu Shopping Center and holds one class per month for the "Holokai Club".
Ruth has been the music minister at Trinity By the Sea Episcopal Church in Kihei for the past 17 years.. She plays at Trinity every Sunday and directs the choir there.
Ruth has been married to Steve for 20 years and has two children, Mika and Landon. She is the daughter of David and Grace Murata.
