Barbara Schirmer, the instrumentalist with emphasis on Swiss Cimbalom and Percussion, was born into a family of musicians in the Swiss County of Appenzell. As a musician and composer she elevated her instrument - the dulcimer - from the traditional area of folk music, and she created excitement with groups like "Schuermueli Musig" as well as with productions extending from music for movies to musical cabaret - both at home and abroad. Various Radio and TV-programs featured the dulcimer player.

- On the international stage Barbara Schirmer performed as soloist as well as with various groups:
- Concerts in Nederland, USA with "Schuermueli Musig"
- Dulcimer-Magic-Project, Rudolstadt (Germany)
- Festival Interculture, Dacar (Senegal)
- Dulcimer Festival, Munich, (Germany)
- Drum Festival in Seoul (Korea)
- World Week of Santour, Teheran (Iran)
- Festival "Creative Folk Music", Salzburg (Austria)
- Festival del Caribe, Santiago de Cuba, (Cuba)

She instigated inter-cultural musical projects with musicians from Kurdistan, Hungary, West Africa and Cuba. Together with her group she achieved second place at the Drum Festival in Seoul (Korea) in the category Swiss Dulcimar and Korean Percussion.

Barbara Schirmer received several government grants, among others for her latest musical development: Compositions for Swiss Cimbalom, played with 4 sticks, replacing the customary 2.
Based on vibraphone technique, she created a totally new method of playing which enhances polphony - as can be heard on her CD's «EIGEREYE» SMR 197 and «Drehender Wisch» SMR 802.

For more than 10 years Barbara Schirmer has been teaching the art of playing dulcimer. She was a lecturer in music for 7 years (group-teaching) at the University for social work, Brugg. As teacher-in-charge with the concept "Enjoyment through Rhythm", she accrued many years of practical experience at advanced teacher's seminars in Aargau/Solothurn/Basle, at the institute for Social Work, Zurich, at the Teachers Training College Liestal, at the Technical College Baden and at the School for Movement, Play and Art in Aarau.