Beloved piano teacher, 89, retires after 43 years
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After 43 years of teaching piano to hundreds of children in Town, Barbara Maples, 89, of Farragut retired in late August. - Submitted photo
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A Maples student, Max Gail, 8. - Submitted photo
After 43 years of teaching piano to hundreds of children in Town, Barbara Maples, 89, of Farragut has retired.
“It was my life and I loved it,” Maples said.
However, because of health issues, she chose retirement two weeks ago.
“I think, at 89, it’s time,” she said.
Maples started teaching music in her home when the family moved from Fort Wright, Kentucky, to Farragut’s Hickory Woods subdivision in 1981.
“We were all in school, and my dad (Greg Maples Sr.) got a job here,” her daughter, Beth Maples, recalled. “He moved then I came here. My brother and sister (Greg Maples Jr. and Laura Maples) stayed (in Kentucky).”
Greg Sr., now deceased, was a regional manager for insurance companies.
Barbara Maples’ love for music started as a youngster, then living in Middlesboro, Kentucky, when her parents hired a graduate of The Juilliard School to teach her the piano. She had lessons from the time she was in the third grade until she graduated from high school.
“When we moved here, all my children had graduated,” she recalled. So, she decided to teach piano herself.
She put up notes on neighbor’s doors to get started. Then the students came.
As time went by, the number of students grew.
“At one time, she had 40 students a week for a long time,” Beth said. “She’s taught hundreds and hundreds of Farragut students.”
Students initially started when they were in the third grade.
Maples recalled at that time there was no correct music for students younger than that; but later, the correct music was made available and she was able to teach kindergartners through second-graders as well.
“One child she taught is now a pediatric oncologist,” Beth said. “She still keeps in touch. She sends Christmas cards.”
One of her former students, Paul Liulevicius, stated in a letter, “I am so fortunate to have been under the tutelage of my brilliant piano teacher, Mrs. Barbara Maples, for 10 years.
“Beginning in second grade, I took weekly piano lessons with Mrs. Maples and saw my knowledge of music grow exponentially,” he further stated. “It is due to her dedication to teaching music and her immense support for her students that I was able to learn a ‘new language,’ which enabled me to learn and play the alto saxophone at St. John Neumann Catholic School and Knoxville Catholic High School.
“Those fundamental skills and techniques of music that Mrs. Maples taught me have become an integral part of my life, and I continue to enjoy playing the piano and alto saxophone.
“Mrs. Maples will forever be a treasure to the music community.”
Liulevicius’ mother, Kathleen Liulevicius, added, “Mrs. Barbara Maples is the ideal teacher, sharing her enthusiasm and love of music with her students and making learning to play the piano fun.”
Maples, who belongs to the Knoxville Music Teachers Association, taught the basics, mostly classical repertoire, but she also taught some other modern music. She had all her recitals at Bill Jones Music.
Besides teaching piano, Barbara was a choir director and member of her church choir in Middlesboro, and had been in the choir at St. John Neumann Catholic Church for the past 43 years.
“Barbara Maples is one of the kindest and most sweetest people I have ever had the privilege to know and work with,” SJN choir director Jonathan Leichman said. “She has a heart of gold that shines through in how she treats others.
“Barbara is well-known for her piano skills and pedagogy,” he added. “Even though Barbara has performed difficult music with superior musicianship, she specialized in starting beginners, many of whom have continued on to pursue music as a career.
“Barbara’s witty personality and dedication to her craft, coupled with her musical depth of knowledge and desire to see young aspiring children and adults alike succeed, made her one of the best piano instructors around. Barbara maintained her commitment to music and church by singing as a faithful member of the St. John Neumann adult choir.
With a far-reaching scope, “Barbara Maples has been and continues to be a tremendous blessing to our music community,” Leichman said.
To Maples, teaching music was a way to spend time with children.
“I didn’t get to have grandchildren,” she said. “The kids (she taught) were like my grandchildren. The kids and music, equally, were the most important things.”
After a lesson, “they cry when they leave,” Barbara Maples said. “And they always have good parents. ...”
