Rich Barry

Rich started playing the guitar at the age of four, and by nine gave his first public performance. By the age of twelve he had already studied with twelve university level instructors, won several competitions and began studying with Pablo Cohen, the professor of guitar at Ithaca College and Cornell University. At 18 he entered the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore where he received the prestigious Rose and Leon J. Neiburg Scholarship and during graduate school was given a full scholarship teaching assistantship.

At the age of 23 Rich had completed two bachelor degrees, two graduate degrees, and the performer's certificate, from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University. While at Peabody, Rich studied with the esteemed pedagogue and performer Julian Gray, the current chair of Peabody's guitar department. Also by graduation Rich had performed in several master classes with artists such as Manuel Barrueco, Pepe Romero, Scott Tennant, Eduardo Fernandez, Bruce Holzman, Sergio and Odair Assad, Eliot Fisk, Paul O'dette and Nigel North.

Rich is also an advocate of music in the schools and is active in promoting the growth of these programs. He has served as a theory instructor for the department of music at the Cadek Conservatory of The University of Tennessee and as a guitar instructor at The Baltimore School of the Arts. He has also taught undergraduate classes for the music education department of Johns Hopkins and served as an adjunct instructor in guitar at the Essex and Catonsville Community Colleges of the Community Colleges of Baltimore County.

Today Rich has become a versatile musician. He has given public recitals in Quebec City, Vancouver, Caracas, New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C An avid chamber music collaborator, he has collaborated with top level musicians including violinists from the Richmond Symphony, Baltimore Symphony, the New York Philharmonic and internationally recognized pianists. He refines his performance abilities from extensive concertizing, freelancing, studio work, and collaborations. Rich’s most current project is finishing his recordings of solo guitar and a guitar chamber music with recording engineer Edward Kelly.