Mara Barker

Mara Barker is an active performer and educator based in Greensboro, North Carolina. She is currently the Adjunct Instructor of Bass at High Point University and Lower School Music Teacher at Canterbury School Greensboro. She is a bassist with the Greensboro Symphony, Winston-Salem Symphony, Roanoke Symphony, Salisbury Symphony (Principal Bass), and she performs regularly with Opera Roanoke. For the past three summers, she has performed as a chamber musician with Virginia’s Blue Ridge Music Festival. She has performed as a soloist with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic, Blue Lake Festival Orchestra, Ball State University Symphony Orchestra, and the Salisbury Symphony. She has appeared as a guest clinician, presenter, adjudicator, and sectional coach throughout the Southeast.

Mara received a Bachelor of Music degree in double bass performance from Ball State University where she was a student of Dr. Philip Albright, a Young Artist Scholarship recipient, and Concerto Competition winner. She received a Master of Music degree in double bass performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she was a graduate teaching assistant and student of Mr. Jack Budrow. Mara performs on an award-winning bass (#6) made by the modern luthier Chris Roberts of the Cincinnati Bass Cellar.