A LIFETIME OF MUSIC

Seven Decades As A Local Saxophonist

STORY BY: CHANNING RUCKS, STAFF WRITER

Some passions can last entire lifetimes — a truth that Oskaloosa resident Ila Ruby is living proof of as she steps down from her regular position in the Oskaloosa City Band after more than seven decades of music.

Ruby played her family’s saxophone for the first time when she was just a girl. Ruby began her career in music at Cedar Consolidated School as a fifth-grader, under the direction of Ron Steddom.

“I started when I was in school, which has been a long time ago,” Ruby says. “I’ve probably been playing 70-plus years.”

Ruby began her career with a hand-me-down instrument from her older brother and still plays the same saxophone today. The daughter of a farmer, she remembers first playing the saxophone sometime in the 1940s.

“My parents were farmers, or my dad was a farmer, [with] not a lot of money,” she says. “I’ve read something back in the old Cedar history stuff that my older brother, who was 11 years older than I am, started playing when he was a freshman. I never knew that … I think maybe they had the saxophone. Money wasn’t all that easy to come by, and so since it was what we had, it’s what I played.”

In her impressive seven decades of music-making, Ruby certainly had ups and downs, with family life and motherhood sometimes forcing her saxophone to take a back seat. But, her love of music has been an enduring theme throughout her life.

“I suppose, you know, when my boys were growing up I probably didn’t do it as much, but I’ve pretty much stayed with it,” she says.

Ruby, who grew up near the Cedar Township area, first played for a municipal band in Ottumwa after being put forward as a prime candidate for the group by her high school band director, Bill Young.

“My band teacher, between my junior and senior year in high school, he was a part of the Ottumwa City Band, so he got me in there. So then, when I moved to Oskaloosa, I just kind of migrated there,” she says.

Ruby’s move to Oskaloosa took place back in the 80s, and she’s been a fixture in the Oskaloosa City Band ever since. Ruby feels that playing in a city band is an experience unique from playing in a school group. There are fewer rehearsals, which make it more challenging, and the camaraderie is invaluable.

“I enjoy just the challenge of playing, the fun of playing, the fellowship with other musicians,” she says, adding that participation in a municipal band is an incredible opportunity for young musicians to take advantage of.

“For a young person, it is an invaluable experience of sight reading,” Ruby says. “If you know anything about music, for city band, you get one rehearsal and then the next time you see the music you’re playing in a concert. So it teaches you something that you don’t necessarily get when you’re in a school setting, because schools, you know, they practice several times before they play a concert.”

Young people are just what’s motivating Ruby to finally step down from her saxophone chair after all this time. She says she wants to give a young player the same opportunity she was afforded as a highschooler in the Ottumwa City Band all those years ago.

“I don’t think [Oskaloosa City Band Director Bruce Peiffer] was real happy with me when I said I wanted to step aside, but I wanted a younger person to get in and get the experience, and I told him I’d be willing to sub in if he needs somebody,” Ruby says.

Peiffer says the band will be replacing Ruby with upand-coming Oskaloosa High School musician Sage Adam. Ruby, who describes her time as a member of the band as an “adventure,” won’t be stepping away from music altogether. Ruby plays in groups all across the community.

“City band isn’t my only adventure,” she says. “I play with the William Penn Concert Band too … and I play in praise band at Gateway Nazarene Church, even yet.”

Ruby is correct when she implies that Peiffer will miss her now that she’s stepped down. The current Oskaloosa City Band director has only good things to say about his long-time saxophonist.

“Ila is one of the most giving people I’ve ever met,” Peiffer says. “Strong Christian faith drives her whole persona. She would rather always take the backseat to the next person. I always tease her that ‘As long as Ila has first chair, she’s happy,’ and she always looks at me and says ‘You know better than that.’”

Peiffer says Ruby is a kind mentor to the band’s younger players, always trying to help them find their feet.

“Ila would just be one of those that, if there was a question by one of the younger players, she would make it so there’ll be no way that the young person would be embarrassed,” Peiffer says. “She would do it in a gentle, loving manner by pointing out maybe something that needs to be addressed. I couldn’t think of a better mentor, because she would have the persona to just gently guide.”

Lindy Slocum, a young saxophonist in her third summer with the Oskaloosa City Band, agrees. “She’s just a treat to be around,” Slocum says. “She’s so kind to everybody. No matter what you do or where you came from. She’s been a joy to work with for the past few summers. I look forward to coming back and being able to see her.”

Above: Oskaloosa’s Ila Ruby has been playing saxophone for more than 70 years. This year’s Memorial Day Ceremony in Oskaloosa marked her last regular performance with the Oskaloosa City Band. Left: Ila Ruby has been playing her brother’s old saxophone since the 1940s, when she began learning the instrument in fifth grade.

Ruby, for her part, wants to acknowledge the people who have made her career in music possible.

“I want to give homage to Mr. Ron Steddom, my first band teacher, Mr. Bill Young, my band teacher who introduced me to my city band experience, and the multitude of conductors I have been privileged to play under during my time in the Oskaloosa City Band,” she says.

For the young musicians who are just beginning their musical journeys, Ruby has one word of advice.

“Practice,” she says. “That isn’t a word they’re probably going to want to hear, but they’re going to have to practice and listen to their teachers and do what their teachers ask them to do … Just practice.”

As Ruby puts the finishing flourish on her time with the city band, she’s rooting for all the young students who are just starting to learn and might one day take her place.