Barbara Ann Daniels
Piano Soloist
Piano Accompanist
At age 5, Barbara displayed extraordinary musical skills as a pianist; her piano teachers recognized her gifts of perfect pitch and extraordinary sight-reading skills. Barbara displayed her talent by performing at many public contests and concerts in the state of Illinois as a soloist and accompanist during her time at junior high and high school in Quincy, Illinois.
For over 65 years she shared her talents as a teacher and performer with 100s of outstanding musicians/teachers and 1000s of band, choir and orchestra students in the states of Iowa, Illinois and Florida. Barbara was a perfectionist and knew how to motivate an individual as well as a group to achieve their greatest potential.
Teachers who worked with her many decades ago, still remember her energy and stamina as a piano accompanist at rehearsals, concerts as well as local, district and state music contests.
Barbara’s uncanny ability to feel at home playing classical, jazz, ragtime/dixieland, gospel and rock & roll (Change of Pace 1979-1991) styles of music provided her a platform to display her talent in a broader spectrum of playing opportunities.
With the launching of this website in January 2021, the monthly performance selections have featured Barbara as a soloist. During her playing career, at least 75% of practice and performance time was spent as a piano accompanist for soloists, small ensembles and large ensembles for band, orchestra and choir students at the middle school, high school, and college levels.
Starting this month, we will begin unveiling some of Barbara’s exceptional musical skills that she developed in order to accompany soloists who perform music at the highest difficulty levels (grades 5,6 and 7). Barbara’s ability to follow a soloist, respond according, and play with sensitivity raised her many levels above the average piano accompanist.
Recording from Pam Potter’s Senior Recital Quincy College – May 2, 1965
Paul Hindemith
(1895 – 1963)
Clarinet Sonata (1939)
1st movement – Massig bewegt (moderate tempo)