Born in Bulawayo in 1953, Barbara Kennedy began piano lessons at age 4 and cello at 12. She studied in London as a Scholar of the Royal Schools of Music for 5 years and thereafter returned to South Africa to continue her career as an orchestral cellist and teacher.
Her journey through life has always been accompanied by music, apart from a period of 5 years when she was a restaurateur. Barbara now enjoys a variety of musical activities including the Michaelis Players, I Grandi Violoncellisti, and the Palm Strings Quartet, as well as spontaneous music making with colleagues on a broad spectrum of instruments such as didgeridoo, drums, guitar, monochord, lyre and Hang, a new instrument from Switzerland.
She is currently resident cello teacher at Bishops Diocesan College and Co-director of the Franschhoek Chamber Music Workshop.