tony bari

piano SCHOLARSHIP

The Tony Bari Piano Scholarship is offered to student(s) wishing to study piano at the Bermuda School of Music (ch 483).  The scholarship is in honor of Bermudian pianist Tony Bari.

Tony Bari was an extraordinary song stylist who delighted audiences since his international appearance at the age of sixteen where he was a featured piano virtuoso in the 1967 World’s Fair in Montreal, Canada.

His musical journey began as a child, just about the time he could sit at the piano bench alone!  Born in Lynn, Massachusetts, Tony became the next soul in a long line of musicians in his family who hold a passion for the great musical compositions and technical abilities of the world’s greatest classic composers and instrumentalists.  Tony had the ability to make each song his own while playing them all for you, the listener.

Tony traveled the world as an accomplished piano player and musical director on board the beautiful ocean liners of the seven seas, before making Bermuda his home in 1984.

Tony began his musical career in Bermuda playing at The Carvery on Reid Street where he first met Ms. Gita Blakeney.  Tony went on to play at all the top hotels including Fourways Inn, Cambridge Beaches, The Reefs Resort and Club, Fairmont Southampton, Newstead Belmont Hills, Elbow Beach, The Hamilton Princess, The Loren, and Rosewood Bermuda as well as most every musical venue on the Island, including The Sparrow’s Nest with Ghandi Burgess and Sheldon Bean.   Locals and visitors may remember Tony’s musical magic at the iconic Trimingham’s on Front Street.  In later years, Tony was the morning host on VSB/1450AM Radio waking Bermuda up to the sounds of Duke Ellington and the Big Bands five days a week!

Tony played with the very best of Bermuda’s talented musicians and vocalists including Ronnie Lopes, Chalky Virgil, Ghandi Burgess, Tootsie Bean, Stan Gilbert, Earl Leader, Dennis Francis, Spirit (a Friday night favorite at Hubie’s), Max Maybury, Brown Sugar (Pinky and Gene Steede)  Shiela Smith, Gita Blakeney and Saxophone Extraordinaire, Shine Hayward!

Tony had a vast variety of genres and an extensive array of credits too numerous to mention with an impressive command of both piano and organ.   It goes without saying that Tony Bari was Bermuda’s very own “Piano Man”, Ambassador (entertaining local residents, visitors, family, friends old and new) and so much more.   

The Tony Bari - Piano Scholarship Form 2025

Addtional Links

Royal Gazette - It's a wonderful world for Tony Bari

The Musical Magic of Tony Bari

Royal Gazette - Tony Bari (1950-2024)