UMD Announces Major New Gift to the International Piano Archives at Maryland

The University of Maryland Libraries is pleased to announce a generous $2.225 million bequest from JoAnne Barry ’89 and Ken Boulton ’86/’97 that will preserve and expand the International Piano Archives at Maryland (IPAM) and pay tribute to Neil Ratliff, the inspirational leader of the Music Library at the University of Maryland from 1980 to 1994.

Barry and Boulton met while completing their studies at UMD in 1988. Barry was finishing her Masters in Library Science and working in UMD’s Music Library, and Boulton was completing his Doctor of Musical Arts at the School of Music. The two met during lunch at the common table in the Music Library and were married the following summer.

Both accomplished pianists, they treasure IPAM’s one-of-a-kind collection comprising the world's most extensive concentration of piano recordings. In fact, it contains an estimated 96% of all commercially released piano recordings ever made, with taped copies of most of the remainder. The collection also houses books, scores, programs and related materials, including the archival papers of many great musicians.  

The International Piano Archives was founded in Cleveland, Ohio in 1965 by Albert Petrak and Gregor Benko, who soon moved the organization to New York City. In New York, the Archives grew into an audio treasure and earned acclaim for its reissues of historic piano performances. In 1977, the International Piano Archives donated its collections  to the University of Maryland, College Park.

Neil Ratliff managed IPAM from 1980 to 1994 as part of his duties as Head of the Music Library. Under Ratliff, IPAM became a major resource for the study and preservation of historic piano performances. Ratliff also initiated the publication of books and a newsletter, as well as a program of public events and exhibitions, raising the profile of the library and the collection.

On a recent visit to campus, Barry and Boulton were able to visit what’s now the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library, where IPAM is housed, and engage once again with the treasured collection.

“We are extremely excited about this commitment, knowing that there continues to be such respect and investment being given to the collection and mission of IPAM,” said Boulton. “It was wonderful reminiscing about our time at UMD and sharing stories about Neil and other impactful individuals who shaped our lives at pivotal times.”

Thanks to this gift, the IPAM collections can be expanded and preserved, serving a vibrant community of musicians and music lovers for generations.