Bonnie Barrett, director of Yamaha Artist Services, Inc. (YASI) in Manhattan, has been named one of Musical America’s Top 30 Professionals of 2018. The sixth annual list compiled by the highly-regarded publication recognizes the most innovative and accomplished individuals in the music industry.
“What always strikes me about this group of individuals is their passion, creativity, and dedication to making the arts thrive, even—perhaps especially—in times of adversity,” says Susan Elliott, editor, Musical America Special Reports. “These are the folks who make our industry tick, who get the artists on stage, who help build the audiences and train the artists of tomorrow.”
“It’s an honor for me to be acknowledged by Musical America,” Barrett says. “I am grateful for the extraordinary commitment by Yamaha on the corporate level to recognize and support our initiatives with artists, not only by creating exceptional instruments, but also by providing a state-of-the-art, world-class facility in which artists can fully explore their craft and develop their artistic voice. The scope of our activities requires marshaling a terrific team—each with their own area of expertise—and I am proud of how we all work seamlessly together to help our artists realize their goals.”
Barrett has adopted a multi-faceted approach in overseeing Yamaha Artist Services, a beautiful 4,000 square foot piano salon located in Manhattan. Here, her team provides an enviable roster of artists with industry-leading recording and production services, rehearsal, masterclass and performance space, and technical support to make piano selections—from the finest handcrafted Yamaha CFX and legendary Viennese Bösendorfer pianos, to technology-enhanced Disklavier reproducing instruments. The Disklavier, in particular, has captured the imagination of many Yamaha artists for its remarkable composition and performance applications, and for educational outreach, enabling instrument-to-instrument remote lessons from YASI to anywhere in the world. YASI also arranges for pianos, instruments and technical services to support its artists at venues across the globe, in close coordination with the company’s exclusive dealer network and artist relations centers worldwide.
Barrett began her career in artist management (CAMI), followed by executive positions in the recording industry (Sony, EMI, ECM, BMG) and at Steinway & Sons.
Since joining Yamaha in 2010, Barrett has helped restructure the company’s artist relations program, most notably through the strategic expansion of its classical and jazz piano artist roster. She has been Executive Producer of several groundbreaking Disklavier recordings and DisklavierTV broadcasts, produced live concerts and events and cultivated new partnerships with major international music festivals, concert venues and educational institutions. A graduate of the Hartt School of Music, she majored in Piano Performance and received an MBA in Marketing from Pace University in New York City.
