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Glenn, trained in the European classical music tradition from early childhood, has blended classical elements with other cultural styles to create a unique world sound in his compositions and songs over the last 40 years. He loves writing music for the theatre. In fact, writing musicals is one of his favourite compositional challenges, now increasingly available to him because of his partnership with a 'writer' - his wife, Elizabeth! This page will be devoted to posting some of the music he has written for the KPH 's musical productions over the last few years. You will be taken via link to his own personal blog, 'Musings and Music' on Tumblr where the songs and his musings, in their entirety, have been posted. |
The Raven of Éirean Mhór
This is the original version of 'Human Child' for The Raven of Éirean Mhór ' by Elizabeth Copeland. The topic explored is the brevity of our existence. The young people of the cast explored it fearlessly with a profound maturity that flows from a knowing that is at the very core of our being.
Human Child music and lyrics: B. Glenn Copeland © Granny Mabel Leaf's Music 2015 SOCAN Performed by Glenn |
The Mother's Tree
This piece was written for a musical for which I had the opportunity to collaborate with a school full of young folks and nine other professional artists. The kids wrote the script following the storyline and scene synopsis I provided. Elizabeth was the 'Dance Master' choreographing all the movement and dance pieces. We called it 'The Mother's Tree,' in essence an adaptation of an ancient African tale. Characters were added and subtracted, the storyline given a completely different slant, adhering to the living principals of adaptation in the the oral tradition.
The school, over 350 kids, participated in the project as writers, musicians, actors, visual artists, technical geniuses, dancers, videographers, photographers, crew and everything else imaginable. We performed it in a wonderful theatre in Huntsville, Ontario. The 50 or more pictures created by the first graders that had been computer manipulated by the fifth graders were 'back projected' onto a large screen onstage and served as the essential set concept. It was thrilling to watch the young people take, expand and bring their own creative expressions to brilliant life. It is one of my most treasured creative experiences. As for the song, it is prayer of thanks and appreciation to the earth herself. Song for Mother Earth music and lyrics: B. Glenn Copeland © Granny Mabel Leaf's Music 2007 SOCAN Performed by Glenn |
Into the Circle
'Into the Circle...from Bullying to Belonging ' - a musical written to be performed as a one person dramatic reading. Written with the help of a grant from the Ontario Arts Council, I was able to perform it for over 6000 students in Ontario and New Brunswick.
‘Kingpin’ is the song of the bully who ends up becoming a hero in my musical ‘Into the Circle…from Bullying to Belonging.’ Stunning original illustrations were provided by Kitty Macaulay, one of Canada's finest illustrators. Kingpin from the original musical 'Into the Circle' by B. Glenn Copeland © Granny Mabel Leaf's Music 2009 SOCAN Illustration © Kitty Macaulay 2009 Performed by Glenn .'Beautiful' is a female bullying song from the musical 'Into the Circle.' We hear the voice of the young woman who needs to feel good about herself by making someone else feel bad, But we also hear the perspective of those who understand that real beauty is a reflection of a kind, compassionate heart.
Beautiful from the original musical 'Into the Circle' by B. Glenn Copeland © Granny Mabel Leaf's Music 2009 SOCAN Performed by Glenn |
