Prepared by Allison Mohar Fabella
Barbara R. Mohar passed away on Aug. 20, in Marlborough, Massachusetts. She was a beloved piano teacher and college music professor, dedicating more than 40 years to teaching hundreds of students at her home in Stony Brook, and teaching music history at Long Island University.
Known for her creative spirit, generosity and tenacity, Mohar was a charismatic force who always found beauty in her surroundings and in the arts. Her love of painting, music, gardening and animals reflected her deep appreciation for all things beautiful. She cherished her piano students as if they were family, leaving a lasting impact through her dedication and generosity.
Mohar was featured in Newsday and The Village Times Herald for her imaginative teaching style, transforming her Stony Brook home into a theater for her annual “piano plays.” These productions brought music to life, casting each student as a character with costumes, dialogue and choreography.
In addition to her private teaching, Mohar was an adjunct music professor for over 30 years at Long Island University where she received the “Excellence in Teaching” award. She also served as program director for the Suffolk County Music Guild, was a music specialist for the Creative Learning Program of the Long Island Regional Advisory Council on Higher Education and was a board member of The Friends of Sunwood.
A lifelong painter, Mohar filled the walls of her sunroom with paintings of animals, landscapes and flowers, many inspired by her own garden.
Born in Youngstown, Ohio, Mohar studied at the Dana School of Music until she married and relocated to New York City with her musician husband, who was attending the Juilliard School of Music. She later earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music from C.W. Post College in Greenvale, graduating with highest honors.
Mohar is survived by her son Brian (Diane) of New Kingston; daughters Victoria (Imade Sudana) of Acton, Massachusetts and Allison Fabella (Ted) of Atlanta, Georgia; five grandchildren; three great-grandchildren and her ex-husband Conrad Mohar, with whom she remained close.
In addition to a private family service in Upstate New York in September, a casual gathering will be held on Friday, Sept. 20, from 7 to 10 p.m. at Eastern Pavilion Chinese restaurant in Setauket. Friends and students are welcome to share memories and raise a glass in her honor. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Mohar’s memory may be made to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), a cause dear to her.
