A Champion for Cantabile Youth Singers

by Signe Boyer, founding director

Who is the wiry, energetic woman with the curly, black hair and cheerful smile who is an untiring advocate for Cantabile Youth Singers? She’s Barbara Weinstein.

Barbara works tirelessly on the Cantabile Board of Directors on behalf of the entire organization. There isn’t any job in Cantabile that Barbara hasn’t tackled cheerfully, brilliantly, and efficiently, but it’s as the special champion of the Youth Singers that she shines.

How did she get involved in children’s choral music? Through relationships. Her eldest daughter, Zoe, was taking lessons with the same piano teacher as Kate Blood, and Kate’s mother, Judy, told Barbara about Cantabile. Zoe joined first, and her twin siblings, Dana and Derek, followed. Kate, Zoe, and Derek are now alumni, but Dana is still a member of Cantabile Chamber Choir.

Barbara started out as a member of the parent committee of the youth choirs when all three of her children were singing with Cantabile. Super-organized, Barbara coordinated and led the group’s Italian tour in 2000 and also coordinated the end-of-summer overnight retreats for the Chamber Choir for three straight years. Did I mention that she also runs her own business as a technical communications consultant? The woman is indefatigable!

When I asked Barbara what motivates her to be so actively involved in children’s choral music, her answer was, “I love everything about Cantabile. Being involved in Cantabile has enriched the lives of everyone in my family. I especially love watching rehearsals, experiencing how notes on a page can be transformed over weeks and months into beautiful and joyous works of art. I have also enjoyed helping manage the transition from your leadership to Elena’s. I have the greatest respect and affection for both of you, and it has been a great honor to work with and support you.”

Barbara grew up in the Los Angeles area and is the middle of three sisters. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a Ph.D. in economics. She also found her husband, Eitan Fenson, in Michigan. Eitan is twice the height of Barbara and, like her, has a big heart. He, too, has been a strong supporter of Cantabile and has even been a chaperone on tour.

Barbara is one of those people who is level-headed and wise. She sees the bigger picture and will work tirelessly to achieve her dreams of making Cantabile Youth Singers the premier youth chorus in the area. Check her out. When you go to the concerts, you can spot her moving to the music with a huge smile on her face.

It was an honor and a privilege for me to be able to work with Barbara while I was artistic director, and I’m looking forward to seeing her and working with her in the years to come.

Cantabile Choral Guild
953 Industrial Avenue, Suite 122, Palo Alto CA 94303
650.424.1410 info@cantabile.org