Carol Barth’s parents must have been delighted to see the joy with which she interacted with her toy piano as a small child. She loved it so much that she repeatedly asked them when they would get her a “real” piano. Though not musical themselves, they were discerning enough to recognize Carol’s talent and remained encouraging and supportive throughout her childhood. They eventually bought a piano and she started lessons with Ruth Bowen-Clark, a local piano teacher who was a wonderful and positive influence from 3rd grade through high school. Carol played regularly at her teacher’s annual recitals at a local church. By age 10, her best friend was her piano partner. They encouraged each other and often performed at Lions Club meetings together.
As she progressed, her high school chorus teachers assigned her to accompany both the choir and a smaller singing group. Sensing her ability, they encouraged her to continue her studies in music. After high school, Carol studied music education at Wagner College in Staten Island, NY, and took graduate courses at University of Maryland. She then embarked on a 30-year teaching career. She taught vocal/general music and directed and accompanied the school choir for 12 years in a public junior high school in Prince George’s county. Then she taught Pre-K to 8th grade in a DC private school, Georgetown Day School, for 18 years.
Though Carol was born and grew up in Philadelphia, PA, where she met her husband, his graduate program and government job brought them to Washington, DC, where they settled and raised their two children. Although neither child played the piano, both studied music. Her daughter played the flute for several years, and her son sang and played the guitar and the banjo. In addition to the piano, Carol herself has mastered several instruments including organ, recorder, guitar, and xylophone. She has even experimented with a few percussion instruments.
Currently retired, Carol is still very much involved in music. She was introduced to the AMSF in 2001 by Raye and Tom Haug, who she met in a monthly piano performance class at Levine School of Music. They were already AMSF members, and, after telling her about the variety of recitals and sponsored activities the AMSF offered, they invited her to a recital and encouraged her to join. Since then, Carol has been an active member performing regularly at AMSF Intermezzo, Encore, and Cadenza recitals, as well as Master Classes. In June last year, she successfully performed Clara Schumann’s Impromptu in E major at Brian Ganz’ Master Class, which she hosted at her home in Washington, DC. She also served as Vice President of the AMSF for 7 years (2003–2010) and coordinated the Special Events.
Outside AMSF, Carol’s other music activities are numerous. She has attended a Sonata Piano camp (9-day program) in Bennington, VT, yearly since 2001. In addition to solo recitals, she has four different partners with whom she plays 4-hand duets and 6-hand trios at piano camp. Every two months she participates in a Zoom piano group in California and attends once a year in person. This past summer she played a 30-minute solo program at a luncheon for cancer donations and research. Her program included works by Brahms, Debussy, Ravel, and Clara and Robert Schumann.
A lover of French composers, Carol is particularly drawn to the music of Debussy, Poulenc, Faure, and Ravel. She was often impressed as she listened to CDs of their music in her youth. Carol also appreciates composers like Brahms, Robert Schumann, and Scriabin. Her favorite period is undoubtedly the late Romantic era, but she has tremendous respect for J.S. Bach, who was a composer of the Baroque period (1600–1750). In fact, she says, “It’s harder for me to learn Bach pieces, but they are worth the effort!”
When she is not practicing piano, Carol enjoys photography, baking, walking on beautiful trails, and — most of all — supporting and loving her two grandchildren (ages 4 and 7), who live in California with their parents. Carol and her husband make the effort to fly there to visit them in person. She spends time introducing both children to the joys of music and teaching them to play the piano. Not surprisingly, the 7-yr-old boy is progressing nicely, but the 4-yr-old girl is more interested in simply enjoying her grandmother!
Carol has always loved the piano and currently owns a 1912 Steinway B Grand which sits majestically in one corner of her Living Room. Two decades ago, she bought the Steinway which replaced her faithful Baldwin piano that she had owned for thirty years. She has used the Steinway to hone and refine her beautiful and sensitive keyboard touch developed over many years in music education, where she has had to conscientiously transfer her expertise to young musicians and pianists. Her advice to aspiring musicians is, “If music is your passion, put the effort into your learning and try to figure out what type of music is most important to you.”
Were they still living, Carol’s parents would have been immensely proud of her highly rewarding journey from “toy piano” to “Steinway B!”