About Bo Ayars
Bo Ayars has literally “arranged and conducted” himself around the world, appearing in concert halls with noted symphony orchestras and entertainers in England, Germany, the Netherlands, Scandinavia and Australia, the Los Angeles Music Center, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D. C., the Metropolitan Opera House and Carnegie Hall in New York City. Bo has also been Music Director and arranger for a variety of television productions featuring the London Philharmonic Orchestra, “Sunday at the Opera House” in Sydney, Australia, “The Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson, “Good Morning, America”, Larry King, and the original Ed Sullivan show.
Mr. Ayars is also a man who regularly wears many musical hats. At various times he has been Music Director, Conductor, Arranger, Pianist and Music Producer for numerous superstars including Elvis Presley, Barbra Streisand, Bill Cosby and Bob Hope. Bo is quite proud of his 13 years as Music Director for legendary showman, Liberace, contributing his conducting and arranging talents to both Lee’s worldwide live performances and several TV specials. In his role as music director for the political satire group, the Capitol Steps, he was invited to perform at the White House and was honored to have accompanied such political figures as President and Mrs. Bill Clinton, Vice President and Mrs. Al Gore, former presidents George Bush, Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford, Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, Secretary of Defense and former Vice President Richard Cheney, Senators Patrick Leahey, Ted Kennedy and Paul Simon, and former Secretary of State George Shultz.
Bo is a native of Glendale, California and began his career as a serious student of music. His formal classical training began at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where he majored in Music Theory and Composition. While there, he expanded his interests to include arranging for jazz and pop music. In his junior year, he attended the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, and, on graduating from Oberlin, was awarded a teaching assistantship in Salzburg with the noted composer, Caesar Breskin.
Returning to the US, Bo found himself in demand in Las Vegas as conductor-pianist-arranger for Debbie Reynolds, Jim Nabors, Robert Goulet, Diahann Carroll, Lola Falana, John Raitt, Sandy Duncan, Red Skelton, George Gobel, Raquel Welch, Bobby Vinton, Shani Wallis, and others.
In 1985, Bo was chosen Music Director of Radio City Music Hall’s famous Christmas production, “The Magnificent Christmas Spectacular” for several years, as well as conducting Walt Disney Production’s three-city tour of the “Disney Symphonic Fantasy Tour” and a 28-city tour of “Symphonic Spectacular”.
Bo has appeared around the country as guest pops conductor with the San Antonio, San Diego, Buffalo, Erie, Wichita, Kansas City, Youngstown, Hartford, Ann Arbor, New Haven, Tallahassee, and Phoenix Symphony Orchestras. Other musical clients include noted cabaret pianist, Bobby Short, Butch Thompson, pianist on the popular radio and television production, “A Prairie Home Companion”, noted jazz vocalist Banu Gibson, and several TV jingles for General Motors and Hilton Hotels.
About Barbara Ayars
Barbara Ayars has been performing before audiences most of her life, either as a soloist or background vocalist. While in Las Vegas she was sought after as both a lead singer and vocalist for several revues, including the award-winning "A Bare Touch of Vegas." She provided background vocals for Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme at Caesar's Palace, Diahann Carroll at the Dunes, and Donna Fargo at the Las Vegas Hilton, and was a featured soloist with pianist Esquivel. Barbara toured with both Bobby Vinton and Mary Macgregor, and has appeared on "The Tonight Show," "The Merv Griffin Show," and "The Dinah Shore Show," with Bobby Vinton and Michael Johnson.
Barbara has been heard on commercial jingles for Hires Root Beer, Orange Crush, Minnesota Tourism, Dairy Queen, McDonald’s and General Mills, among others. She recorded with Bill Cosby, and appeared on the soundtrack for He Lived the Good Life, a Christian musical.
She was the featured artist on several cruise ships both on the Columbia River and in Alaska, and has performed regularly with Tony Starlight since 2007 as part of Tony's Neil Diamond Experience, the Tony Starlight Christmas Show, the Elton John Tribute Show, the TV Themes Show, and the AM Gold 70s Show. She now performs regularly at Arrivederci Wine and Jazz Bar in the popular Rat Pack Show, along with several theme shows produced with Bo Ayars. She founded the female vocal quartet, Signatures, co-produced a tribute to Burt Bacharach, titled The Essence of Bacharach, and is featured with the trio BBD3 comprised of Barbara, pianist Bo Ayars and bassist Dennis Caiazza. She has put together several specialty vocal shows with other Portland-area singers, including Here’s to Karen! - the Music of Karen Carpenter, Arrivedivas, Natural Women, Ladies Night on Broadway, and It’s the Sixties! Part I and II, and continues to perform a wide variety of music, appealing to audiences of all ages.
Barbara and Bo teach on-going vocal performance master classes. It is their desire to keep classic pop music alive and active. They currently have students who are given the chance to perform every six to eight weeks at Arrivederci Wine and Jazz Bar with a trio. They are also offering sessions on harmony and ear training along with music theory for singers who wish to further their musical knowledge and strength.