Barbara Lafitte

Barbara Lafitte is a Professor at Berklee College of Music, where she has taught since 1994. She specializes in oboe performance, having held principal oboe roles in notable ensembles like the Boston Ballet Orchestra and Boston Classical Orchestra. Her career includes English Horn positions in the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra (1994–2020) and collaborations with figures like John Williams and Keith Lockhart. At Berklee, she developed innovative courses such as Efficient Practicing, Audition Workshop, and Phrasing, and teaches Woodwind Pedagogy at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee.

• Orchestral Experience: Boston Pops, Rhode Island Philharmonic, Boston Modern Orchestra Project
• Performance Highlights: Grammy-nominated recordings with Boston Modern Orchestra Project and Danilo Perez
• Summer Activities: Aspen Music Festival, Tanglewood Music Center (2022–present as Copland Chamber Music Librarian), and Spoleto Festival

Her pedagogical focus includes masterclasses on circular breathing, audition strategies, and historical performance practices (e.g., Nicolas Slonimsky).