Return to Self

Selfhood and voice as the path towards it have been the overarching theme of this blog since I started writing in 2019. My preoccupation with this topic has permeated my own artistic practice, my research and my work with students for many years now–probably for...

Naomi for the win!

Naomi and Lucy at Laurier’s Ken Murray Competition, January 25, 2025 Barber Studio student Naomi Schlegel (class of 2025) was the first prize winner of Laurier’s Ken Murray Concerto Competition for 2025, giving an outstanding performance of the Doll Song...

Just a member of the band

Girl Band (sourced on Snappa.com, January 2025) This week I made the decision to sneak back out of performing retirement. I’m joining a band. True story! Not just any band, mind you. And it’s not the kind of band you might typically think of; it’s a...

Hard Things: revisited

Butterfly among the rocks (Kimberly Barber, Kathleen Lake, Yukon, July 2024) I’ve talked about Hard Things in this space before, and this is the time of year (about 3/4 of the way through the term) when such themes frequently re-surface. Students are preparing...

Communication matters

Communication matters (sourced on Snappa.com, November 2024) As it turns out, communication matters. A lot. When you work in collaborative settings, toggling between duties, negotiating with other leaders, what you say must be clearly communicated, and often. Our...