Mary Ruth Ray, a beloved Brandeis music professor and performer, passed away on January 29 after a battle with cancer.

Student performer Yoni Battat ’13, sharing memories of Ray, remembered her modesty, saying “She would have said ‘enough about me, some music would be nice.'”

Ray started teaching viola and chamber music performance at Brandeis in 1980, and became chair of the music department since 2005,

Ray was also known for her role as a founding member of the Lydian String Quartet. With the group, she performed at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, well-known concert halls. Several of the quartet’s recordings were honored as “Best of the Year” by the New York Times.

“Mary Ruth had a profound and lasting impact on the arts at Brandeis, as both a teacher and an artist. Her legacy is one of grace and beauty,” Scott Edmiston, director of the Office of the Arts, told BrandeisNOW. “She created exquisite moments of transcendence, beyond language, that can only happen through music. Her talents and her gentle spirit will live on in our memories.”