Barbara Truex

About the Artist

Barbara Truex is a composer, singer, teacher, multi-instrumentalist, theatrical/film sound designer, community radio DJ, record producer. and arts administrator. She specializes in mountain dulcimer (electric and acoustic), ukuleles, guitar, and percusssion. Her teaching, both in groups and with individuals, focuses on developing the students ability to discover his/her own music using improvisation as well as conventional teaching methods. She also has experience with learning-disabled students.

Ms. Truex has over 30 years experience as a performer and teacher. Her musical adventures have taken her into jazz and folk music, ethnic music from around the world, and even a little classical now and then&#59; from pre-school classrooms to teaching seniors. Ms. Truex also works with theater students developing their sense of sound with vocal and listening excercises.

She currently performs regularly with The Maine Squeeze accordion ensemble (as percussionist), and Loopin'', a multi-cultural dance band specializing in original compositions and traditional music from African, Latin, and Middle Eastern cultures.

Ms. Truex has conducted many workshops on finding music in unlikely places: making instruments out of everyday materials or simply finding objects in the classroom and outside to play as instruments without any construction. She has helped students design their own easy-to-make instruments where they can be played individually or put together as a sound sculpture. Ms. Truex has also helped students construct and play cardboard-bodied mountain dulcimers designed specifically for students aged 10 and older. Seminars on world music are also available. She is always willing to develop a program suited specifically to the school or group.