Barbara Harbach

American composer, harpsichordist, organist and teacher Barbara Harbach was born in Pennsylvania on 14 February 1946. She studied at Penn State, Eastman and at the Frankfurt Musikhochschule with Helmut Walcha.

She has held a series of professorships at Washington State University, the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and the University of Missouri-St Louis.

She founded a publishing company, Vivace Press, to publish under-represented composers' music, and she co-founded and edits the journal Women of Note Quarterly.

She has written an opera, O Pioneers!, music for orchestra (including a series of symphonies), organ, harpsichord, choir and chamber ensemble, and has arranged Baroque music for brass and organ.

As an organist she has made many recordings, has played in Asia, Europe (including Siberia) and North America, and has presented a weekly TV series in the US Northwest.

Further information: www.barbaraharbach.com

A selection of articles about Barbara Harbach

CD Spotlight. A Fine Composer - Orchestral music by American composer Barbara Harbach, heard by Geoff Pearce. '... the London Philharmonic Orchestra is very fine and conductor David Angus obviously provides great insight into how this music should be performed.'

CD Spotlight. Quite Engaging - Orchestral music by Barbara Harbach, heard by Geoff Pearce. 'The musical language is easy on the ear, and to me hearkens back to an earlier age of American Composers such as Aaron Copland ...'

CD Spotlight. Rich and Colourful - Organ music by J S Bach and Pachelbel, recommended by Gerald Fenech. '... Barbara Harbach gives a towering performance ...'

CD Spotlight. Soundly Constructed - Orchestral music by Barbara Harbach, heard by Howard Smith. '... the LPO is wholly admirable in this music ...'

CD Spotlight. Equal Partners - Chamber music by Barbara Harbach, enjoyed by Ron Bierman. '... more humor than can be found in the entire oeuvre of many contemporary composers.'

CD Spotlight. Appealingly Straightforward - Music by Barbara Harbach, warmly recommended by Ron Bierman. '... a worthwhile introduction to a valuable contemporary composer ...'

CD Spotlight. Precocious and Talented - Music by Anna Bon di Venezia, heard by Ron Bierman. '... nuanced and cleanly articulated ...'

Record Box. Sympathetic Readings - Orchestral music by Barbara Harbach, reviewed by Patric Standford