I’m a Massachusettsian, interrupted by a few years in Nashville and Rhode Island. I’ve played piano my whole life, composed since I was 4.

I’ve played piano and conducted pit bands at Opryland USA in Nashville and College Light Opera Company, and played 6 years in a house band at the Arboretum Restaurant in Providence, also played with the band Bougainvillea, and worked with singers Henrietta Robinson, Will MacMillan, Sayida Rivers Farmer, and Lisa Thorson. I taught songwriting at MIT for many years, and recently produced my original musical, The Mis-Matched Pair.

My musical tastes are eclectic: jazz greats of the 30’s and 40’s such Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Barry Harris, and Tommy Flanagan, also songs of the great American Songbook (Gershwin, Rogers & Hammerstein, Kern, and Fields) as well as the great singer-songwriters of the present such as Bill Staines, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Susan Werner, among others. And musical theater: Jason Roberts Brown, Stephen Sondheim, Jeanine Tesori, and Duncan Sheik. Last but not least, for cleansing the mind and soul: Bach and Brahms.

Info
To get in touch, please contact me at molly<at>mollyruggles<dot>com

PAST EVENTS

Science Festival Chorus April 15, 22, 23, 2017

Bring your whole family and learn about climate and weather through song and dance! ‘Singing of the Rain’ features music by local composers, including me. Tornadoes, raining frogs, and more!
3 free shows 4/15, 4/22, 4/23. For more information.
Presented by North Cambridge Family Opera

We just finished a fantastic evening at Third Life Studio on Jan 27, 2017, with Jonte Violenes Samuel, Bill Beaudoin, Ricky Richardson, Kevin Long, and myself.

Enjoy selections from the evening:
‘Mid-winter Blues‘ (crowd sourced song, composed in the moment)
They Can’t Take That Away from Me
Dignity and Style (a tribute to Michelle Obama)

• with thanks for MIT Professor Michel DeGraff for AV.

Our  Third Life Studio Sat., Feb 27 2016 at 7:30 pm SHOW WAS SOLD OUT.

Sunday June 7 2015 at 4 pm I gave a concert at Amazing Things Arts Center in Framingham, with more songs from my CD, and a few musician friends dropped by.

Wednesday April 15, 2015 I celebrated the release of my new CD ‘after the rest‘ with a lunchtime concert at MIT, sponsored by Artists Beyond the Desk. Also featured was wonderful guest artist Priyanka Satpute, vocalist and vocal percussionist. For more information….

Wednesday, March 25, 2015, I presented a mini-workshop on jazz ear training at the BACA open mic.

Sunday August 31, 2014 @ 10am at UUMedford Church in Medford Square, Hendrik Gideonse and I led a gospel service. My vocal arrangements were used for many of the songs, and we featured a rock band and several blues singers. We rocked the sanctuary.

I am also singing with BACA and ATAC, and recording more songs. regularly performing at MIT’s Artists Behind the Desk, and have also played at Right Turn Coffeehouse, and the UU Medford Church. I participate in the BACA monthly singing get togethers and am part of the NOMTI advanced writers theater lab.

I teach a freshman songwriting class at MIT which features guest artists such as Catie Curtis, Vance Gilbert, Jake Armerding and Bob Franke. I’m also a regular at the  Amazing Things open mic.

When not singing, playing, listening, teaching, composing, or writing plays, I work with educational technology at MIT and spend time with my beloved daughter.

Past
Saturday, May 20, 2017, Third Life
Friday Jan 27, 2017 Third Life.
Sat Sept 24, 2016, Third Life
Sat Feb 27, 2016, Third Life Studio
Tues., April 2, 2014, noon: MIT Artists Behind the Desk
Sunday, April 21, 2013, 5 pm Boston Assoc. Cabaret Artists Spring Festival
Thurs., April 25, 2013, 8:45 pm: featured spotlight at Amazing Things Arts Center.
Last fall I was a finalist in the Lehmen-Engels Musical Theater workshop, and am now part of the New Opera and Musical Theater Iinitiative Advanced Writer’s lab.

site graphics credits:
‘Dale Chihuly Piano Keys’ by Niall Kennedy
‘Music’ by Zane Hollingsworth