Andreas Barban

Barban, Andreas

Andreas Barban. Pianist, teacher, b Leipzig 5 Feb 1914, d St John's 23 May 1993; honorary LL D (Memorial) 1985. He studied 1934-6 at the Leipzig Conservatory with Robert Teichmueller and Max Hochkofler and privately with G. Stieglitz, Tania Zunser-Ury, and Erich Liebermann-Rosswiese. He also studied theory with Wolfgang Fraenkel. After teaching piano 1939-47 in Shanghai, he moved in 1947 to St John's, Nfld. There he was heard for many years in weekly radio recitals as soloist or as accompanist. He gave recitals with Joseph Berljawsky, Eileen Stanbury, Jack Glatzer, Lynn Channing, Elizabeth Benson Guy, and others. An important figure in the development after 1952 of the festival movement in Newfoundland, Barban served as adjudicator, adviser (preparing syllabi), and accompanist. He was conductor 1963-6 of the St John's Symphony Orchestra. Barban taught music appreciation 1960-1 and was a piano instructor 1978-88 at Memorial University, where he also gave master classes and a course in lieder. Later he taught privately. His pupils included the pianists Karen Quinton (Prix d'Europe 1972), Derek Parsons, and Edmund Dawe; and teacher Susan Knight, founder of the Newfoundland Symphony Youth Choir. Memorial University offers a music scholarship in Barban's name.