Writer Joseph J. Airdo // Photography Courtesy of Greg and Olga Barker
As many musicians do, Cave Creek residents Greg and Olga Barker discovered their passion for music at a young age.
Greg, now 40, began his musical journey playing the alto saxophone in symphonic, jazz and competition marching bands from elementary through high school, while Olga, 35, explored various forms of music from ages 6–14 while attending a music school in her native Belarus.
However, as they entered adulthood, Greg and Olga drifted from their musical endeavors to eventually pursue careers in software development and accounting, respectively. Nonetheless, they both still fondly recall their joyful memories of music-making and recently uncovered opportunities at Desert Hills Community School of Music to not only share that joy with their four young daughters but also rekindle it in their own lives.
Memories With Music
During the summer of 2022, Greg and Olga learned about Desert Hills Community School of Music through their daughters’ school district.
Located at the foot of the boulders on the campus of Desert Hills Presbyterian Church in Scottsdale, the school features a vast selection of classes, lessons and ensembles as it strives to offer world-class music instruction for all ages and all ability levels, in both group and individual settings.
Recalling their own memories with music, the parents enrolled three of their four daughters in a nine-week music exploration class at the school. The girls loved it so much that they continued in the class beyond the initial semester and even enrolled in the school’s other offerings.
It was not long before Greg himself started taking part in Desert Hills Community School of Music’s programs.
While participating in school bands during his childhood in Pennsylvania, Greg particularly enjoyed practicing difficult music and drills in marching band. In 11th grade, he tried out and won the opportunity to play a soprano saxophone solo; he played “Cathedral in a Suitcase” by Pat Metheny, and enjoyed the thrill of performing on an elevated platform while hooked to a mic.
The next year, Greg switched his instrument to the tuba, which offered a fresh challenge and the chance to be heard individually while also being a major part of the entire band’s background support. He continued playing the tuba throughout college, where he majored in computer science.
After college, the responsibilities of life took over and Greg found himself playing the saxophone and tuba for his church only a handful of times — until he joined the saxophone ensemble at Desert Hills Community School of Music.
“The sax ensemble has reignited a fire inside me to play these instruments again,” Greg says. “Between the school’s community music programs and my kids’ interest in music, I intend to do as much as I can and hope to eventually play in some of the same bands as my kids.”
Witnessing her husband and children’s love of music has also led Olga to rediscover her own musical aspirations. While growing up in Minsk, Belarus, she performed on the piano in many school concerts, as well as local and national concerts and competitions. She also auditioned and was accepted into “Scarlet Sails” — a performance choir that took her all over Belarus, as well as to cities across Europe including Warsaw, Prague, Vienna and Paris.
After graduating from music school, Olga went on to study math and computer science, immigrated to the United States and found her calling in the accounting and tax preparation industry — but recently realized that she misses music and wishes that she had not given up on it.
“Now that Greg and the kids are involved in instruments, I live vicariously through them and enjoy practicing piano with my children,” Olga explains. “Thanks in part to Desert Hills Community School of Music, our family has this special bond over music that will hopefully last a lifetime.”
Greg concurs, noting that the joy of music is seemingly infectious within the Barker family.
“Usually, if one of us starts playing, it is not long before someone else is playing,” he explains. “Our house almost always has someone at the piano, clarinet, trumpet or saxophone.”
Starting Small
Greg and Olga’s eldest daughter, Mayrelia, 11, began her musical journey in fourth grade with a clarinet that belonged to Greg’s father. While Greg initially guided her in learning the instrument, she soon fell in love with it and started practicing on her own at all times — leaving her father in the dust.
A similar thing happened with the piano for both Mayrelia and her sister, Dayla, 9. While Greg and Olga initially nudged them to start taking lessons, they are now playing the piano nonstop.
“We already owned two electric keyboards, but Mayrelia all but demanded that we get a real piano so she can practice properly,” Olga says. “So that is what we did, and now the only time we do not hear someone playing that piano is during school hours or bedtime.”
Inspired by their older sister, Dayla and 7-year-old Celestia have also begun learning other instruments — the trumpet and alto saxophone, respectively. Greg has joined Dayla in learning the trumpet, helping to boost her confidence as she has started following in his footsteps by playing in her school band.
At age 5, Greg and Olga’s youngest daughter, Bella, is just beginning to explore the world of music, joining Celestia at a community choir class that practices on Saturdays at Desert Foothills Library. But while Bella may be a novice, she already has her sights set on the tuba, having heard her father fondly reminiscing about his own tuba-playing years.
“When the other sisters are playing their instruments, Bella will ask me to get my tuba down and let her play,” Greg says. “She can make a surprisingly good sound while I press the keys. We will see where she is in a few years.”
Olga adds that she and her husband appreciate all of the ways that Desert Hills Community School of Music engages both youth and adults in the community in music.
“We certainly love the exposure for ourselves and our kids to this form of art,” she explains. “There is so much research about the benefits of music when it comes to brain development, mental sharpness and fine motor skills. But beyond all of that, it has been very entertaining to watch our children ignite the passion and drive to learn more.
“It starts so small. Can you make noise on this mouthpiece? Can you play this key on the piano? Then we watch them take it further, get comfortable with the basics, add on a little challenge, test themselves, overcome doubts and fears.
“Though we might not see any of our kids pursuing music as their lifelong career just yet, we are very certain that they will love and appreciate this gift for their lifetime just as Greg and I do.”
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