The ground-breaking Composeher project, devised by the Glasgow School of Art Choir, is in the final stages of rehearsal for a world premiere concert to be held on 27 May 2023 at Glasgow City Halls. The concert of new work has already garnered international interest and involvement, with demand [...]
Diane Gardner and Bonnie Slade, who sing soprano and alto respectively in the GSA Choir, write about their experiences of rehearsing Brìdghe – composed by Pippa Murphy, with lyrics by Karine Polwart. Being part of the GSA Choir is a joy, constantly providing to us, as performers, musical challenges [...]
A blessing and a lament... In this video blog composer, Pippa Murphy, discusses her Composeher work, Brìdghe, with lyricist, Karine Polwart. They explain more about the ritualistic nature of the work and the connections between renewal of the seasons and Brigid / Saint Brigid herself.
Aileen Walker, who sings alto in the GSA Choir, writes about her experience of rehearsing The Alphabet of Jasmine – composed by Dee Isaacs, with lyrics by Gerda Stevenson. Music touches the emotions. Poetry too. Singing in a choir, I find, is at times almost spiritual. And when the subject [...]
Sound and resonance... In this video blog composer, Pippa Murphy, introduces her Composeher work, Brìdghe, alongside lyricist, Karine Polwart. The pair discuss the importance of sound and resonance, and explore the intersection between Paganism and Catholicism as it relates to Brigid / Saint Brigid.
Words into music... In my last blog for this project I outlined some of the considerations a composer addresses when setting existing poetry. Here, rather than being a full programme note at this stage, I write further about some of my compositional approaches in setting these incredible poems by [...]
Events to be held at Glasgow Women’s Library will feature leading composers Dee Isaacs, Cecilia McDowall, Pippa Murphy, Ailie Robertson, Rebecca Rowe, and Jane Stanley. 6 September 2022 The Glasgow School of Art Choir (GSA Choir) has announced a series of four in-person workshop events, beginning in October 2022, which [...]
Catherine Mooney, who sings alto in the GSA Choir, writes about her experience of rehearsing Brìdghe – composed by Pippa Murphy, with lyrics by Karine Polwart. It is very early. My eyes are closed, but I am awake. The first tangible thought to filter through is a refrain, a [...]
The harmonic journey... In my last blog, I recounted my discovery of a pioneering scientist and artist of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, Maria Sibylla Merian. From her monumental folio Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium, I excerpted five pieces of text for five miniature movements, each taken from a [...]
Poet, Seán Street, whose lyrics are being set to music for Composeher by Cecilia McDowall, discusses the relationship between words and music in their work, Angel of the Battlefield. Reflecting on the relationship between composer, poet and subject further into the Composeher project, there are, it seems to me, some [...]