In 2004 she gave the world première of Irony of Fate, a ballet for one female dancer with solo violinist on-stage created by Rafael Bonachela, Ballet Rambert's Associate Choreographer for the Madrid International Day of Dance 2004, using the solo violin partita of Vytautas Barkauskas.
[3] The BBC had commissioned a documentary about her preparation for this called A People's Music[4] and a DVD version of this is included with the CD.
Her pacing is compelling from the opening phrase, and each stylistic option, every whisper and flutter, has the kind of logic that makes you wonder how the piece could ever have been played otherwise.
[16] In October 2007 she gave the world premiere of the "Durham Concerto" by Jon Lord in Durham Cathedral with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra[17] On 23 February 2007, Palmer made a guest appearance (reported in the UK, Continental Europe,[18] Asia,[19] America[20] and elsewhere[21]) during a press conference at Christie's to play the 1729 Stradivarius violin Solomon, ex-Lambert which was auctioned in New York on 2 April for $2.7M compared to the estimated $1–1.5M.
[25] She was invited to perform at the launch of the awards, described as "exceptional violinist Ruth Palmer"[26] and her presence was reported around the world.