Reviews
If you missed the April 10 concert at St. Paul’s devoted to the music of the French organist and composer Maurice Duruflé, you missed a very fine concert indeed. The centerpiece of the program was Duruflé’s Requiem, Op. 9. Stephen Barr directed the performance; accompaniment was provided by a small orchestra and by Principal Organist of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Dr. Richard Elliott. The singers only had the opportunity to practice with the orchestra the day of the concert, and Stephen made the most of the limited rehearsal time, amply assisted by Dr. Elliott. The Requiem has an unusually large number of meter and tempo changes, [but] Stephen’s clear conducting made a significant contribution to the confidence of the performers.
—Lionel Diemel, St. Paul’s Epistle
…the production [Zal & Rudabeh] is a success, in great part due to David Goldstein’s score [orchestrated by Stephen Barr], which tumbles over itself…with nods to March Slav, and even the pulsing of Bolero…Leif Bjaland and members of the Florida West Coast Symphony seamlessly melded their own sounds with occasional electronically spawned music for an interesting effect.
—St. Petersburg Times
It [Duruflé’s Requiem, conducted by Stephen Barr] brought me to tears at times, and gave me goosebumps at others. Perfectly balanced between choir, organ, and chamber orchestra. Just stunning.
—David Schaap, Music Director at Trinity Cathedral, Pittsburgh
Everyone needs to listen closely to Stephen’s Descent Into the Earth and answer this question: Does his music sound every bit as good as any film scores you’ve heard? I know my answer is a definite yes, and it sounds better than most.
— R.J. Nestor, Composer, Lyricist, and Screenwriter; www.rjnestor.com
As teacher and conductor, Stephen has led my choir at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in choral retreats and conducted performances of Vivaldi’s Gloria and Duruflé’s Requiem. These performances were splendidly prepared and conducted. He is very good with large and diverse musical ensembles, both choral and instrumental. And there’s more…his artistry can be found in his musical compositions as well.
— Douglas Starr, D.M.A, Director of Music and Arts, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Mt. Lebanon, PA, and Music Faculty Adjunct, Penn State University; TierneyStarrMusic.com
Stephen is a very talented composer. Having performed and conducted his works, I can say he writes equally well for a variety of genres – music that pleases the audience and performer alike.
— Brian Meixner, Euphonist and Assistant Professor,Slippery Rock University of PA
Stephen has always been a creative and inquisitive presence in the musical arena. From his time as an undergraduate at Westminster College composing, playing trombone, and singing in the choirs, to his current collegiate and professional work, he continues to grow and examine new musical boundaries.
— R. Tad Greig, Ph.D., Chair Director of Instrumental Activities, Westminster College
