"You really cared for each one of us and sought to make us the best we could be.  I'll never forget the lessons you taught us, not only about conducting but about ourselves and how we related to others.  Thank you for insisting that we do our best and not accepting anything less.

I think about what you taught us all the time, and I'm trying not to hide my real self from those around me."   Original Letter
"...but what has changed my playing forever  was that I was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to have  solo time with you…  There was a life in Alice's viola, sort of like a mysterious beauty inside. For that short moment I felt like I found its spirit. Everything stopped and I could really feel its music in me.  That time was so special, maybe only a short span of a couple of minutes but it has changed so much my appreciation and attitude towards playing any instrument.
Thank you for really making a difference in me and teaching me so much. Not just about music, but about ways of life as well. I believe that after this experience with you, music will continually play a vital role in my life…"   Original Letter
The one thing he cared about more than anything was keeping your eyes on the conductor.  I remember having the hardest time with this but was reassured when he boldly said that he didn’t care if there were wrong notes so long as you look up.  This effort was not in vain because once you looked up you could see exactly what he wanted musically and he got it.  The ensemble operated as one unit and the result was greater than the sum of its parts.  It was nothing short of pure magic."   Original Letter
"In the three short days you have been here you have managed to change the way my orchestra class feels about music! I have learned that music is a tool to bring joy into people's lives. You have brought that to me by teaching me to take my musical abilities a step further."
                                                                                                                     Original Letter
"The first encounter I had with Mr. Barg was during the summer after my Freshman year in high school.  We played the 2nd and 4th movements from Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings.  I had played in orchestras before but I had no idea what was in store for me.  He showed us far more than the notes on the page.  Mr. Barg opened my eyes to what music could actually be, that playing in an orchestra was more than sitting in the viola section and knowing your own part.  You have to listen to the other sections more than your own sound. 
I would also like to thank you for showing me how wonderful and life changing music truly is. Throughout life I've just through the motions, never taking the time to consider that the composer wanted me to gain something much more than what was written on the page.

Your styles and methods have opened my eyes, ears and heart towards music in a way that I never thought possible, I really can't express to you how much that means to me.
                                                                                                                     Original Letter
You have truly changed who I am today. Back when I first met you. I was a shy guy who probably would have never changed without someone who can somehow bring people out of their shells. Now I have learned to make new friends and maintain them. You have also taught me recently about being confident when making requests.

I hope you continue touching the lives of young musicians as they have learned to appreciate music more.  You have impacted my life and my music career in a way nobody else can. Thank you so much for everything.                                                                             Original Letter
You and your thinking inspired me in so many ways - and not simply music. We talked about languages, cultures, beliefs and many other random tidbits about life, and it opened my eyes and showed me how connected the world really is. I can never thank you enough for your positiveness and inspiration.                                                                                            Original Letter