Barbara Murray is the former Director of Music for the New York City Department of Education. In this capacity, she provided leadership and guidance to school leaders and K-12 music educators throughout the system to advance music instruction and programming.
As Director, she explicated the chancellor’s instructional vision and directives for the nation’s largest school system to its body of approximately 1,000 music educators. She developed and oversaw the implementation of New York City’s comprehensive Music Blueprint for Teaching and Learning, PreK-12, editions 2 and 3. This document is the Department of Education’s instructional resource for identifying, designing, and applying the desired elements of comprehensive music education.
She has worked closely with leaders of New York City’s major cultural institutions, colleges, and universities and has provided guidance in all matters related to their school-based music programs.
Her appointment was preceded by a distinguished career in music education and performance. She served as Assistant Principal of the Creative Arts Department (music, visual arts, business, and technology) at William C. Bryant High School. She has taught music at all levels, Pre-K-12, in Westchester, New York City, and Rome, Italy. Miss Murray was an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Music Education at the Steinhardt School of Music, New York University, for 13 years. A former Assistant Conductor of the All-City H.S. Chorus, she has conducted choirs at Alice Tully, Carnegie, and David Geffen Halls.
A native New Yorker, she has performed professionally in film, television, and live concerts with U-2, Aretha Franklin, and various other recording artists. She is a proud member of the American Choral Directors Association, the National Association of Negro Musicians, and the National Association for Music Education.
