Christopher A. Barbaro

Mr Christopher A. Barbaro

...began his teaching career in 1991 at Western Reserve High School in Berlin Center, Ohio. In 1993, he transferred to Amherst to be the school's 5-8th Grade Band Director. Becoming the high school director in the fall of 2001, Mr. Barbaro directs ”THE” Amherst Marching Comets, the Green and Gold Jazz ensembles, Symphonic Band, and Wind Ensemble. Mr. Barbaro also teaches the 5th grade Beginning Band at Nord Middle School. During his tenure as director, Mr. Barbaro created the Amherst Indoor Color Guard, Drumline, and Indoor Winds program that competed in the Ohio Indoor Performance Association and travel to Dayton each spring to perform at the World Championships.

He has experience marching with the World Class Champions Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps and has also worked for the live show department at Cedar Point. To further his education, he earned his Masters in Educational Technology from Cleveland State University and taught part time for them in the same program which he graduated. Mr. Barbaro is also a member of the Ohio Music Education Association and is an accredited Marching Band and Concert Band/Solo and Ensemble Judge for the Association.

In the spring of 2020, Mr Barbaro was inducted into the American School Band Director Association. Founded in 1953, the American School Band Directors Association (ASBDA) is a national organization for band directors whose mission is to promote, enhance and preserve quality school programs through leadership and fellowship of exemplary band directors. ASBDA is a prominent, active and effective national organization to influence school band programs.

While under Mr Barbaro’s direction, the Amherst Bands have received numerous SUPERIOR ratings at the State and District regions in all levels of the program. The Marching Comets have also qualified for the State Marching Band Finals every year since the fall of 2002.