South Florida native, Barbara Yancey is beginning her 9th year teaching music in Georgia. She began her career in music by obtaining a B.A.E. in Music Education from Florida Atlantic University where she graduated magna cum laude. During her bachelor’s degree, she was awarded the Anne Roselle Vocal Scholarship Award for excellence in musicianship. 

Before coming to Harlem Middle School in 2023, Barbara taught Middle School Chorus and Elementary General Music in Conyers, Martinez and Hephzibah. Most recently, she established the first Chorus program at Georgia School for Innovation and the Classics where she led three middle school choirs and one high school mixed choir that nearly doubled in size under her direction. Simultaneously, Barbara was the Assistant Director of the Augusta Youth Chorale, a choir for teenagers (13-19) in the greater Augusta area of Georgia and South Carolina.

Aside from conducting, Mrs. Yancey is an avid performer within the state of Georgia. While completing her Masters degree in Vocal Performance at Mercer University, she performed the title role in Mercer University Opera’s production of Alcina. After graduating, Barbara performed with the Atlanta Opera in La bohème (2015) as a chorister and handmaiden, Roméo et Juliette (2016) as a chorister and Turandot (2017) as a chorister and milkmaid. Since relocating to the Augusta area in 2019 with her husband David and daughter Mariela, she has served as a soloist in local churches. Alongside former classmate, Clay Young (tenor), she performed a recital at Christ Church Presbyterian that was a compilation of solos and duets of traditional hymns. Barbara performed alongside the Choral Society of Middle Georgia where she performed the soprano solos in Handel’s Messiah under the direction of Dr. Stanley Roberts in December 2022. Her most recent performance as a soloist with the Columbia County Choral Society featured musical selections from oratorios.