Kimberly Barber, Wilfrid Laurier University
Administrative Coordinator, Opera Associate Dean, Faculty of Music - External Affairs, Partnerships and Graduate Studies Professor Waterloo, Ontario kbarber@wlu.ca
Bio/Research
I have been teaching voice at Laurier since 2002 and am also involved in Opera Laurier, where I consult and teach creative process, passing on my knowledge of the performing arts industry to a wide range of students. I teach Body Mapping for Musicians as part of the Pedagogy and Wellness curricul...
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Bio/Research
I have been teaching voice at Laurier since 2002 and am also involved in Opera Laurier, where I consult and teach creative process, passing on my knowledge of the performing arts industry to a wide range of students. I teach Body Mapping for Musicians as part of the Pedagogy and Wellness curriculum, and am a course instructor (and co-author!) in the new MMus C3 (or Collaboration, Curation and Creative Performance), a unique program for innovative musicians in Canada who wish to collaborate with like-minded peers. In my role as Associate Dean, External Relations, Partnerships and Graduate Studies for the Faculty of Music, I’m expanding our reach into the wider community to build partnerships for the Faculty of Music and grow opportunities for our students current and future. I hold a Bachelor of Music and Opera Diploma from the University of Toronto, was a member of the COC Ensemble Studio and sang as a company soloist at Frankfurt Opera from 1989-94.
Nationally and internationally, I have performed on operatic and concert stages in Paris, Chicago, New York City, London, Rome, Tokyo, Montréal, Seattle and Toronto. I have a passion for music of all eras and genres, and although I am now turning my sights more to education, arts advocacy and mentorship, I recently performed the leading role of Madeline Mitchell in the Canadian premiere of Jake Heggie’s Three Decembers for Winnipeg’s Little Opera Company (May 2022).
I interact with students in as many ways and different kinds of settings as possible — whether exploring vocal technique in my group class, leading auditioning, resumé and grant writing or Body Mapping workshops, or creating countless performing opportunities and professional connections. I enjoy discovering the unique capabilities and strengths that each student I interact with brings to the table, and helping them to grow artistically and personally throughout their time at Laurier and beyond.
Research Interests / Ongoing Projects:
A particular area of interest for me is music and movement and I am a licensed Body Mapping Educator®, teaching Body Mapping for musicians in workshops and private sessions, both at Laurier and in the larger musical community. Over the past year, I have taught workshops and clinics all over Ontario and in Alberta, as well as at the Laurier Academy of Music and the Arts. This practice, an outgrowth of the Alexander Technique, helps musicians of all stripes to learn how to use their bodies optimally, preventing pain, overuse and injury and enabling them to sing and play their best.
I’m passionate about the intersections of singing and identity, and blog frequently about this topic (see my website, kimberlybarber.com/blog). I’m currently engaging in research on partner practice, group teaching and the creation of community in the voice studio, based on the way I work in my voice studio at Laurier. My research partner is one of my former Laurier voice students, Sarah Stapleton, an incoming PhD candidate in Community Music. We truly believe that these methods build skills faster and deeper, and create powerful communities in the process, and recently published an article on our findings in the Canadian Music Educator.
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Nationally and internationally, I have performed on operatic and concert stages in Paris, Chicago, New York City, London, Rome, Tokyo, Montréal, Seattle and Toronto. I have a passion for music of all eras and genres, and although I am now turning my sights more to education, arts advocacy and mentorship, I recently performed the leading role of Madeline Mitchell in the Canadian premiere of Jake Heggie’s Three Decembers for Winnipeg’s Little Opera Company (May 2022).
I interact with students in as many ways and different kinds of settings as possible — whether exploring vocal technique in my group class, leading auditioning, resumé and grant writing or Body Mapping workshops, or creating countless performing opportunities and professional connections. I enjoy discovering the unique capabilities and strengths that each student I interact with brings to the table, and helping them to grow artistically and personally throughout their time at Laurier and beyond.
Research Interests / Ongoing Projects:
A particular area of interest for me is music and movement and I am a licensed Body Mapping Educator®, teaching Body Mapping for musicians in workshops and private sessions, both at Laurier and in the larger musical community. Over the past year, I have taught workshops and clinics all over Ontario and in Alberta, as well as at the Laurier Academy of Music and the Arts. This practice, an outgrowth of the Alexander Technique, helps musicians of all stripes to learn how to use their bodies optimally, preventing pain, overuse and injury and enabling them to sing and play their best.
I’m passionate about the intersections of singing and identity, and blog frequently about this topic (see my website, kimberlybarber.com/blog). I’m currently engaging in research on partner practice, group teaching and the creation of community in the voice studio, based on the way I work in my voice studio at Laurier. My research partner is one of my former Laurier voice students, Sarah Stapleton, an incoming PhD candidate in Community Music. We truly believe that these methods build skills faster and deeper, and create powerful communities in the process, and recently published an article on our findings in the Canadian Music Educator.
Click to Shrink <<