Barbara S. Gawlick, born in Krakow, Poland, received her Master’s degree in Dalcroze Eurhythmics from the Music Academy in Lodz, Poland, and DMA in Music Education from the New England Conservatory of Music, Boston. During her doctoral studies she worked with Richard Colwell, a leading, national authority on music education and contributed to the development of the National Standards in Music (1998). In 2004 she lectured and presented the findings from her doctoral dissertation at the International Society of Music Education (ISME) convention in Barcelona. Her research and teaching focus on issues concerning early childhood/adult music education, advocacy and social justice.

In 2000, she founded the Dalcroze Center for Music and Movement in Brookline, MA, a private music studio that offers instrumental and vocal music classes for children ages 2 and up. Dr. Gawlick developed a unique Children’s Opera program that staged the New England première of Hans Krása’s Brundibár in 2006, followed by performances of Mozart’s Bastien and Bastienne and arranged versions of Hansel and Gretel and The Magic Flute, among others. Along with selected students, Dr. Gawlick performed these operas extensively in Boston and Europe.

In 2002 she joined the faculty of Boston College Music Department and teaches music theory and music education courses. In addition to her academic duties, she is the founder (2006) and artistic director of the Boston College Family Concert Series, which annually presents interactive performances for the wider community. These concerts creatively involve BC students, faculty and visiting artists to present stylistically diverse repertory in a family-friendly concert environment.

Her most recent initiative, the Music Outreach Program, builds on Dr. Gawlick’s strong commitment to music education advocacy and social justice ideals. Since the start of the program in 2012, about 20-25 Boston College students serve the community and hundreds of schoolchildren through music each academic year. Music Outreach provides weekly music tutoring/lessons in serval inner-city schools in the Brighton area, delivered by Boston College students recruited and mentored by Dr. Gawlick. For most of these children, this program offers the only opportunity to learn to play an instrument, receive private instruction, support and modeling which is so critical in learning music.

Barbara S. Gawlick is the recipient of the 2022 Boston College Community Service Award conferred by the university community and the president of Boston College.