Composer and pianist Barbara Bennett comes from a long line of southern musicians dating back to turn-of-the-century traveling tent show performers. Her family includes three musician sisters, a mother who is a flutist and orchestra conductor, and a very patient father/Lockheed engineer. She enrolled in piano performance studies at the University of Georgia where she earned the B. M., magna cum laude, and M.F.A. degrees. During her tenure at UGA, a composition teacher said he was going to make a composer out of her and she challenged him to do so. She subsequently enrolled in composition seminars throughout the rest of her educational studies and eventually earned the D.M. in composition from The Florida State University.

Bennett teaches a variety of courses at the University of California, Riverside while maintaining an active composition schedule along with her academic duties. She has been instrumental in bringing new music ensembles to campus and expanding class offerings to accommodate the contemporary student, including a course on women in music and undertaking the instruction and supervision of electronic music. In 1998, Bennett was selected the Non-Senate Distinguished Teacher for 1996-97. Recently elected Vice-President of The College Music Society, Bennett continues a long relationship with this Society that covers the many different disciplines within the music world. The interaction between members and the broad range of interests found in this organization offer value and stimulation for a teacher of diverse subject matters and a musician with creative and theoretical interests. Bennett is also active in the National Association of Composers, USA (NACUSA), serving as membership coordinator since 1988, organizing concerts in the Los Angeles area, and preparing her own music for performance during NACUSA concerts. One of her own issues is how to reach people through music and how to challenge the musical audience to accept and demand new music. " I certainly do not want to ignore nor delete from the repertoire masterpieces and personal favorites, but at the same time, I feel that music of our own time of all styles needs to be heard more."