Edith Barnard holds a bachelor's degree in Music from the University of
Illinois and a Master's Degree in Theater from the State University of New
York at Binghamton in Music/Theater. Edith operated her own theater in
Maine for 15 years. As well as being an accomplished performer, Edith has
enjoyed many years as a music instructor. She combines practical
knowledge with intuition to meet the needs of each student and guides
them to the next level with patience and encouragement. Many of her
students are professional musicians and teachers in their own right.
DAUGHTER OF THE SOIL
A daughter of the Illinois soil, her mother's father was a corn farmer in Effingham County. He played fiddle, was a raconteur of farm stories and when the state of Illinois took his driver's license away at the age of 92, he
drove his tractor into town! He died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 98. Edie's Grandmother was a pianist and sang Rosemary Clooney and Dinah Shore songs. The Barnard side of the family still raises acres and acres of cattle and hogs in Wayne County. Her sister and family live in Peoria. Edith is excited about being home to roost at her roots.
PRODIGAL DAUGHTER
Edith left Illinois soon after receiving her degree from the University of Illinois in music education to teach music and drama K-12 in Bath, Maine for ten years. Then she:
- Toured the southern states as Folklorist Performer sponsored by the Smithsonian Institute
- Represented the U. S. Government as cultural ambassador to GREECE
- Operated her own theatre for 15 years in Bath, Maine
- Received an award at the WHITE HOUSE for her musical, "Courtly Appeal" which she wrote about the US Constitution.
- Toured her one woman show, "HARRIET BEECHER STOWE" to schools, museums, libraries and historical societies in New England
- Narrated a Children's Musical, Commissioned by The NAPLES FLORIDA PHILHARMONIC, "The Magical Christmas" in 2001
- Directed "Oklahoma",
"Amahl and The Night Visiters","Guys and Dolls", "Li'l Abner", "The
Fantastics" and her own original historic musicals
- Toured five Eastern Caribbean islands performing in plantation homes with grand pianos with Livio Caroli, principal oboist, AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE-"Bach, Beethoven, Brahms and the Beatles"-a musicale soirée theatre piece
Edie currently serves on the Board of the Apollo Theater, is music chairman
for Peoria's Downtown Rotary, is involved in the World Affairs Council, and
narrates The Peoria Pops Orchestra.
Updated 4March2022
