Dr. Barbara English Maris, 87

October 13, 1937 - December 21, 2024

Dr. Barbara English Maris loved people, music, and life. She is most remembered for her kindness, brilliance, exceptional skill as a pianist and professor of piano pedagogy and the joy she brought to those around her. Born on October 13, 1937, in Granite City, Illinois to Dr. Robert William English and Margaret Catherine Smith English, Barbara was older sister to her one brother, Dr. Robert William English, Jr.

Music and family were at the center of Barbara’s life from her earliest years to her very final days. Barbara played piano for over eight decades. Her mother, also an accomplished pianist, was her first teacher. Barbara also studied with Rudolph Ganz, Alfred Cortot, Soulima Stravinsky, Carolyn Raney, Jean Eichelberger Ivey, and Walter Hautzig, a lifelong mentor and family friend.

Barbara gave her first recital at age four and her first broadcast performance at age eight on KMOX, St. Louis. Across her career, she performed as a soloist in more than 30 states and in Europe, South America, and Australia. Reviewers described Barbara’s playing as: “exquisite,” “exuberant,” “powerful” and “luminescent.”

Barbara completed her doctorate of musical arts degree in piano performance at Peabody Conservatory and earned a bachelor’s and a master’s of music from the University of Illinois. Although she focused on classical music for much of her career, her dissertation explored contemporary music including “prepared” piano and piano performance accompanied by recorded electronic music. A Fulbright scholar from 1958 to 1959, Barbara studied at the École Normale de Musique in Paris. Living in Paris as a young woman was a highlight of her life. Barbara also completed two National Endowment for the Humanities postdoctoral fellowships, at the University of Maryland and at the University of North Carolina with Dr. William S. Newman.

Barbara was a professor and director of the graduate Piano Pedagogy Program at the Catholic University of America, where she mentored students from six continents over almost 20 years. A devoted educator, Barbara taught piano students of all ages, from preschool through the retirement years. Barbara received multiple teaching awards and was described by her university students as an “inspiring” teacher “whose love of teaching and enthusiasm for music” was “infectious.”

Barbara believed music was “a necessity, an essential part of life, not a luxury” not only for musicians but for everyone. A national leader in music education, Barbara was the first woman to be president of the College Music Society. She led the 1981 Wingspread Conference on Music in General Studies, designed to enhance access to high quality music education for all college students. Barbara also was a master teacher for the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) and played leadership roles in other organizations. In 2000, she published a book, Making Music at the Piano: Learning Strategies for Adult Students, a guide to help adult piano students play musically from the very start.

Barbara loved her family as much as she loved music. While in graduate school and throughout her career, Barbara was a single mother to her two daughters, Beth, and Cathy. In spite of the demands of her role as a professor and pianist, Barbara always made her daughters feel loved and special. She lived and modeled her values as a feminist, teaching her girls that they did not have to choose between family and career.

From 1959 to 1973, Barbara was married to Dr. Ronald Maris, father of Beth and Cathy. In 1990, she married a fellow musician, Dr. David Willoughby, who was also a president of the College Music Society. They enjoyed playing duets, with Barbara on piano and Dave on his double bass, “Big Bertha.” Barbara and Dave moved to Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania in 1992 and had a very active retirement full of family, music, camping in their pop-up camper, international travel, gardening, and enjoying their backyard vistas of Lancaster County farmland.

Barbara’s family remembers her as exceptionally loving, optimistic, brave, and a source of great joy. She lived with exuberance, making snow angels and boogie boarding with her granddaughters even into her 70’s. She was both unassuming and unstoppable.

Barbara was a devoted “Nanna” to her granddaughters Sarah and Abi. For many years, she traveled to their home in the Bronx regularly. She played piano for her granddaughters’ preschool classes, attended their birthday parties, plays, recitals and softball games. Spending time with her entire family was one of Barbara’s favorite activities.

Every day was a special occasion to Barbara. She believed in using the good china, making festive meals, adorning the house with fresh flowers from her garden, making room for extra guests, and filling the house with music, laughter, and love.

Music and family continued to be important to Barbara to the end of her life. On Barbara’s 80th birthday, one week before she had heart surgery, she played a concert of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, and one of her own compositions.

In the final days of Barbara’s life, she was surrounded by her family and friends. They shared stories and music, listened to recordings by Walter Hautzig and Barbara, sang Christmas carols and other favorite songs, and enjoyed live bedside violin and piano music with beloved friends and family.

Barbara English Maris is survived by daughter Elizabeth (Beth) Maris, son-in-law the Hon. Howard Baum, and granddaughters Sarah and Abigail Baum; daughter Catherine (Cathy) Maris and son-in-law Dr. David Reiner; stepdaughters Sharon Willoughby, Sylvia Owen, Cindy Roberts and Suzy Willoughby and their spouses and children; niece Rebecca English and her son Jesse English; nephew Robert English, wife Julie English and their daughters Lydia and Ella English; and many hundreds of students.

The family shares their deep thanks to the staff of Brethren Village and to Hospice and Community Care for their care and kindness.

A Celebration of Life service will be held Sunday, May 25, 2025 at 1 pm at the Elizabethtown Church of the Brethren. A streaming link and other information can be found here:
https://etowncob.my.canva.site/celebrationoflifeservices

Memorial donations may be made in Barbara English Maris’ honor to the Elizabethtown Church of the Brethren, the Music Teachers National Association, or the Southern Poverty Law Center.