2022 MTNA FELLOW : ALISON BARR

Alison Barr Biography

Alison S. Barr, NCTM, is an inspiration for her students and colleagues alike. She has served five terms as President of Massachusetts and Maine MTA’s and attended almost every National Conference since 1980.

Alison proudly operates an independent studio in Hanover, Massachusetts where she teaches thirty-five students of all ages and levels. Her teaching specializations include middle school, high school and avocational adult students. For 24 years, she maintained a multi-teacher studio in Brookline, MA. She has served as MTNA’s Eastern Division Certification Commissioner and is a frequent lecturer, adjudicator and collaborative pianist in the Greater Boston area and beyond.  Her “Music for Good” social action curriculum is a highlight of her studio offerings.  Her students are now drawn from all over the South Shore of Boston, Australia, New Zealand, Washington D.C., Manhattan and Europe, as well as the Middle East.

Alison’s original thinking and desire to explore new frontiers have resulted in the creation of  “Midwinter/Midsummer Adult Piano Retreats” in Florida, the Berkshires and Endicott College (2022) and MMTA’s Music Connect Program, offering lessons tuition-free to deserving students.  She serves on the board of American Voices, a cultural diplomacy program with which she teaches as a volunteer in the Middle East.  During the Coronavirus pandemic, Ms. Barr pivoted to offer ongoing Zoom classes to her students there.  Through her cultural diplomacy work, she helped create the concept of the Global Open Mic, which currently showcases musicians from around the world on a once-a-month basis and is sponsored by American Voices.

Alison’s early musical training was under John Markarian, Music Director of the Westwood, Massachusetts, Public Schools and in the Extension Division of New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. In those two venues, she studied piano, flute, music theory, choral singing and collaborative piano.  She holds degrees from University of Maine at Orono (BS, Music Education with a concentration in Piano Performance, 1976, with Highest Honors and Highest Distinction) and Boston University (MM in Piano Performance, 1983.) Her primary teachers were Anthony diBonaventura, Kathryn Ann Foley, Richard Roberts and Alexandra Jaskolski. 

Mrs. Barr is an inveterate writer.  Her latest article, “Lessons in Courage – Vignettes of Independent Teachers” will appear in the April/May 2022 issue of American Music Teacher. “Reversing the Pyramid--Maintaining High School Students in the Independent Studio,” appeared in the September/October 2007 issue of the same publication and was subsequently named Article of the Year.  Other publications include a book, “Successful Studio Teaching,” and numerous articles in “Clavier,” “American Music Teacher,” “Keyboard Companion,” and “Massachusetts Music News.”   Her lecture series in music appreciation, “Joyful Listening,” has been offered locally and in the Czech Republic.  Most recently, she has served as a generous mentor, consultant and guest speaker, helping teachers all over the country improve their ability to teach online.  Alison considers her most fulfilling moments to be those spent with her former students who come back to visit, and with her many MMTA/MTNA colleagues.

Ms. Barr’s community and social action work includes active volunteering for DOVE (Domestic Violence Ended) in Quincy and Rosie’s Place in Boston, where she teaches weekly Pre-Literacy classes.  Ms. Barr’s passions include gardening, swimming, traveling, writing, and tennis.  Her son, Ben, graduated from the University of Hartford and lives in Spokane, Washington with his wife Jamie.  Her husband, Brad, works for the U.S.’s National Marine Sanctuary Program. Alison lives and teaches in her 1774 home in Hanover, with her husband, cats Zoey and Rory and approximately sixty houseplants.