This Czech-German harpsichordist is a trailblazer in the field and has done much to popularize classical music in the Czech Republic, Germany, and beyond. Barbara Maria Willi, studied harpsichord in Freiburg (Germany) and in Strasbourg (France with Aline Zylberajch).

In 1995, she passed with distinction in harpsichord/hammerklavier performance and historic performance practice at the Mozarteum in Salzburg. In the same year she was awarded the “Prix d’encouragement” at the harpsichord competition in Bruges.

Valuable stimuli came for her from participation in master-classes with teachers such as Jesper Christensen, Jos van Immerseel Gordon Murray, Elizabeth Chojnacka and Christopher Stembridge.

At present Barbara Maria Willi has a position as the Professor in historic keyboard instruments and is head of the Early Music department at the Janáček Academy of Performing Arts in Brno. With the support of the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service), she founded, and conducts a harpsichord class at the university. Her wide-ranging activities in the area of solo and chamber performance have resulted in numerous recordings for Czech television, Czech radio, and for German, French and Swiss radio stations. She has also performed at a number of renowned European music festivals including the Züricher Streicherwochen, the Toujours Mozart festival, the Michaelstein Bach festival, the Mitte Europa festival, the Bohuslav Martinu festival and Concentus Moraviae.

Since 2014 Barbara Willi is a regular guest teacher at the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague and working on a joint program of Brno and The Hague.