Barbara J. Owen, 91, of Newburyport, Massachusetts, died October 14, 2024, in Topsfield, Massachusetts. Born January 25, 1933, in Utica, New York, in childhood she became a resident of New Haven, Connecticut. She earned her Bachelor of Music degree from Westminster Choir College, Princeton, New Jersey, in 1955 and her Master of Music degree in musicology from Boston University in 1962, having studied with Karl Geiringer. Additional studies were in Europe at the North German Organ Academy in 1977 and the Academy of Italian Organ Music in 1985.
Owen was named director of music for First Religious Society, Unitarian-Universalist, Newburyport, in 1963, remaining for 38 years. She expanded the congregation’s choral offerings with ensembles for young people. From 1961 until 1979 she was a voicer with C. B. Fisk, Inc., Gloucester, Massachusetts. In 2002 she began service for St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, Lowell, Massachusetts, remaining until 2007. After retirement she continued to serve as substitute and interim musician for various churches. Owen would be involved in numerous projects of organbuilding and restoration, whether working on instruments or consulting and advising.
Through her research, Barbara Owen authored and edited books, journal articles, and music scores. As book author, her works include E. Power Biggs, Concert Organist, The Mormon Tabernacle Organ: An American Classic, The Great Organ at Methuen, The Organ in New England, The Organ: New Grove Musical Instrument Series (with Peter Williams), The Organ Music of Johannes Brahms, The Registration of Baroque Organ Music, and Pioneers in American Organ Music 1860–1920: The New England Classicists. In 2005, in Owen’s honor, the OHS Press of the Organ Historical Society published a festschrift, Litterae Organi: Essays in Honor of Barbara Owen.
Owen was a founder of the Organ Historical Society in 1956 and served that organization in many capacities, including as first president of its board of directors. Active also with the American Guild of Organists, she became librarian of the Organ Library of the American Guild of Organists at Boston University in 1985; in 2012, she was named Librarian Emerita. Owen also served as dean of the Boston and Merrimack Valley AGO chapters. She was named an advisory member of the board of the Instituto de Organos Historicos de Oaxaca in 2005, and in 1989 became a trustee of Methuen Memorial Music Hall, Methuen, Massachusetts, serving until 2023. Owen was the recipient of numerous honors, including a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Humanities (1974–1975); Westminster Choir College Alumni Citation of Merit (1988); Organ Historical Society Distinguished Service Award (1988); American Musical Instrument Society Curt Sachs Award (1994); and the AGO Organ Library Max Miller Book Award (2009). In 2014 she was presented the AGO’s Edward A. Hansen Leadership Award.
Barbara Owen is survived by a sister. A celebration of her life will be planned for 2025. Donations in her name may be made to the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society Salisbury, Massachusetts (mrfrs.org), and the First Religious Society, Newburyport (frsuu.org).
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