Richard Barrows, a milkman’s son and the first of 10 children, grew up in North Arlington and Rutherford, New Jersey. He always wanted to play the piano, but back in the 1930's his parents could not afford one, so he pretended to play on the radiators. He was 12 years before he began taking lessons.

Dr. Barrows earned his B.A. in Music Education at Montclair State College and received his M.A. and Doctorate from Columbia University. The theme of his doctoral thesis was a guide on how to stage a broadway show in secondary schools. From the late fifties to the mid-sixties he presented several outstanding shows at River Dell High School in Oradell, New Jersey. It was not uncommon for people to sleep outside rolex replica sale the box office on the night before tickets went on sale, to insure a good seat.

He taught choral music and humanities in public schools for over forty years. He received the Princeton Prize for distinguished secondary school teaching in 1965 and was voted New Jersey State Teacher of the Year in 1975. After his retirement, Dr. Barrows also taught music appreciation to senior citizens at Bergen Community College.

Dr. Barrows was an accomplished organist and choirmaster. He held several positions at churches and synagogues in North Jersey and Connecticut. He also performed countless organ recitals throughout the East Coast. He was invited by Pierre Cochereau to present an organ recital at Notre Dame de Paris on August 17, 1975.  Dr. Barrows served as the president of the Northern Valley Chapter of the American Guild of Organists from 1966 to 1969.

 

Dr. Barrows married his wife Dorothy in 1958.  They recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.  He had  two sons, Steven and Mark, two daughters-in-law Rosanne and Manuela and four grandchildren, Michael, Brian, Richard, and Alexis.