AMAN International Folk Ensemble 
~  50th Anniversary Reunion Honoree  ~

                   BARRY GLASS                                           50th Anniversary Gala Award Dinner - 10/12/13
           Bio from the AMAN50 souvenir program book                                                               (Plaque presented by Billy Burke)

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Barry has been involved in music and dance since his early childhood. He danced with several children's ethnic dance troupes and appeared as a keyboard artist. He received his undergraduate degree in Classics and French from the University of California, Irvine, where he graduated magna cum laude. A Woodrow Wilson Fellowship helped him to pursue his graduate studies in Classics, Folklore, and Mythology at both the Irvine and Los Angeles campuses of the University of California. 

Barry originally joined the AMAN Folk Ensemble in 1967 and quickly moved into directorial positions. In 1969, he became Vocal Director and a year later, a Dance Director, becoming Artistic Director in 1978.

After a three-year hiatus, Barry returned to the company in 1985 to his position of Artistic Director. In addition to his directorial responsibilities, he was one of AMAN's leading soloists, and performed regularly with the company. He also was a director of AMAN's busy smaller performing unit, MEMBERS OF AMAN, a group that was responsible for a large number of special presentations, including hundreds of performances and workshops in schools each year.

During his time as AMAN’s Artistic Director, Barry gained national recognition as a consultant and served on several panels for the Dance Program of the National Endowment for the Arts as well as for the California Arts Council, the Advisory Council for the International Festival of Masks in Los Angeles and as an adjudicator for the Bravo Awards program of the Los Angeles County Music Center Education Division, and as a member of the Board of Trustees for Dance / USA and co-chaired their national task force on dance education.

After leaving AMAN, Barry returned to his other love, nursing.  He moved home to Ojai, CA to care for his aging mother (who lived to 100!), and to pursue his career as an RN specializing in Critical Care and Post-Anesthesia Recovery at the Ojai Valley Community Hospital.  He was married (domestic partnership) for 9 years until his partner’s death in 2010.  Barry currently is a practicing RN, resides in Ojai with his faithful dog, and trail rides regularly on his horse.