Barbara Shearer
Encyclopedia
Barbara Shearer was a renowned American pianist
and pedagogue at the University of California, Berkeley
.
Shearer spent her childhood in the rural Midwest. She attended Carthage College
for two years, then Wittenberg University
in Ohio, where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in music. On the advice of her teachers, she went to New York City
in 1958 to study piano with Leonard Shure, whom she later followed to Zurich
and Munich
. A later influence was Karl Ulrich Schnabel
, from whom she received valuable coaching and with whom she taught as a colleague.
In 1963 Shearer was about to take a teaching job in New York, but one of her teachers in Ohio dissuaded her, offering to buy her a bus ticket to San Francisco instead. She did graduate work at the University of California, Berkeley, and in 1964 married singer and composer Allen Shearer. In 1978 she joined the faculty at UC Berkeley where she taught until shortly before her death.
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
and pedagogue at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
.
Shearer spent her childhood in the rural Midwest. She attended Carthage College
Carthage College
Carthage College is a private liberal arts college affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Situated in Kenosha, Wisconsin midway between Chicago, Illinois and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the campus is on the shore of Lake Michigan and is home to 2,500 full-time and 900 part-time...
for two years, then Wittenberg University
Wittenberg University
Wittenberg University is a private four-year liberal arts college in Springfield, Ohio serving 2,000 full-time students representing 37 states and approximately 30 foreign countries...
in Ohio, where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in music. On the advice of her teachers, she went to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1958 to study piano with Leonard Shure, whom she later followed to Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
and Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
. A later influence was Karl Ulrich Schnabel
Karl Ulrich Schnabel
Karl Ulrich Schnabel was an Austrian pianist, and the son of pianist Artur Schnabel and operatic contralto and lieder singer Therese Behr.-Biography:...
, from whom she received valuable coaching and with whom she taught as a colleague.
In 1963 Shearer was about to take a teaching job in New York, but one of her teachers in Ohio dissuaded her, offering to buy her a bus ticket to San Francisco instead. She did graduate work at the University of California, Berkeley, and in 1964 married singer and composer Allen Shearer. In 1978 she joined the faculty at UC Berkeley where she taught until shortly before her death.