Barbara Liberman (nee Rudman), born August 9, 1936, passed away at the age of 88 on February 18, 2025. She was born in St. Louis, MO into a musical family. Barbara graduated at the top of her class from Ladue Horton Watkins High School in 1954. Having studied classical piano with Leo Miller as a teenager, she attended Juilliard on scholarship to study with renowned Bach and Scarlatti specialist James Friskin, then obtained a Masters in Music at Washington University under celebrated pianist William Schatzkamer.
Barbara married Daniel Liberman, her loving husband of 63 years, in 1962. She was later named the Florence G. and Morton J. May Principal keyboardist for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, where she played from 1968-2006. Barbara also loved her duties as SLSO Chorus accompanist under the late Thomas Peck and performed numerous chamber music collaborations and solo recitals. Notably, she won the Artist Presentation Society competition in 1962 and was the featured soloist with the SLSO Pops in George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue in 1989. As a member of the SLSO Barbara won a 1984 Grammy award for the Prokofiev Symphony No. 5 which heavily features the piano, and was nominated in 1986 as part of their Aaron Copland Billy the Kid/Rodeo album, which also highlights the piano.
Barbara loved to travel both with her family and the orchestra; her honeymoon with husband Daniel lasted 6 months and traversed Europe in an impromptu, creative fashion. She loved the New York Times, completing their crossword puzzles daily, and was a prodigious cook. She loved dogs and birds, even rescuing and rehabilitating a few of the latter.
Barbara touched many lives and was known for her graciousness, interest in other people and warmth. Her high energy and drive were evident always, and her smile was radiant. Barbara is survived by husband Daniel, her two sons Alex and Gabriel, sister-in-law Dale Solov, nieces Kira Newman and Bonnie Kohn, nephews Andrew Rudman, Terry and Scott Liberman. Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, Annette and Edwin Rudman, her beloved brother Michael (an excellent jazz pianist) in 1971 and loving sister Linda LaFlamme (a soulful pianist who formed the legendary Bay Area band It’s a Beautiful Day) in October 2024.
Funeral service Sunday February 23, 2 PM at Berger Memorial Chapel, 9430 Olive Blvd. 63132. (Also available by livestream) Visitation from 1:30 to 2 PM. The Burial is Private at Beth Hamedrosh Hagodol Cemetery. Donations may be made in Barbara’s name to the Artist Presentation Society at apsmusic.org, The St. Louis Symphony at slso.org or to the Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org. Visit www.bergermemorialchapel.com to view the livestream and for more information.
BERGER MEMORIAL SERVICE
