"Well, all I have is me, and I have to do the best I can with that." - Marty Feldman.
I am composer, performer, engineer, and producer so, I suppose, I am a bit of a one woman band. I use a variety of instruments plus a sound module and sampled sounds with controller keyboard and a plethora of different types of software. I studied piano but also play keyboard and acoustic/electric guitar plus a bit of mandolin, violin, autoharp, bowed psaltery, harmonica, melodica (anyone remember that?), all sorts of recorders and whistles, and many odd and peculiar non-tuned percussion instruments.
SOUNDTRACKS
Last year I wrote the music to a charming little animation called ESCAPE INTO NATURE by Chinese animator Huiyuan Li. I thought you might like to see it. It's best heard loud! Please remember to turn off the player above before listening though!
Etkilendikleri
GENERAL: Actually EVERYTHING but perhaps a few things deserve special mention. The Great Outdoors. Landscapes. Trees. Gardens. Photography. Cinematography. Films. TV. Natural History. Animals. Painters.
MUSIC: The Shortlist only - pared down to the bones.
CLASSICAL: Grieg, Sibelius, Vaughn Williams and Rodrigo. - no it's impossible to write a list because I keep thinking of others I can't leave out so I'll stop.
FOLK: The Guo Brothers and Shung Tian. Maddy Pryor singing anything. Alan Stivell. Andy Irvine - especially his Eastern European gypsy phase.
FILM & TV: John Williams. Mark Snow. Jim Parker.
Neye Benziyor?
An accessible, melodic, alternative classical style using a fusion of modal, folk and contemporary influences within the western tradition. Many, many influences - you will hear electronica, world, ambience, and classical, sometimes with pop and dance strands lacing the sound. Many pieces are tone poems or descriptions of real or imaginary places. The cover art of my new album (due out in December 2009) is a photograph that I took on the very day that inspired 'In the Shadows of Roasting Spring'. Have lovely journeys!
Very best wishes,
Barbara
I love all things natural - the moods and rhythms of the seasons, water, trees, sun, mist, snow, skies, too many animals and plants to list. I love their voices and the way each speaks in its own way. There is so much to learn if one can listen.
ABOUT MY MUSIC..
'Art is not what you see but what you make others see.'- Edgar Degas
'Visual' music is not new. How can one listen to 'The Swan of Tuonela' without imagining the swan? Or to 'Pictures at an Exhibition' without 'seeing' the pictures? I have gone down this road completely; my aim is to paint sound pictures which can take the listener on all sorts of wonderful journeys! The idea is that you are meant to listen to the music and imagine yourself into the landscape, seascape or spacescape. As this is, at root, turning vision into sound, I am very at home with soundtracks although composing for them is more about complementing and augmenting the visual.
For those of you who have been asking me - you can buy SCAPES directly from the Judmusic Records label at http://www.stiwdioeglwys.co.uk or from digital download sites including iTunes, CD Baby, Rhapsody and many others. Here are a couple of links to help.
http://cdbaby. com/cd/barbarahills
(If this link isn't working for you, try the link in the blog above!)
Hope you are doing fine and your feet are getting better and better. The date of release is approaching and I am impatiently waiting for your new album IN THE SHADOWS OF ROASTING SPRING.
It is still grey and wet here and I look forward to Advent when we are lighting all special real candles as well as electric candles. We need the light now.
I still adore "Moon on the Moat" WTF only 3 plays so far today? All Sorts of Songs/Barbara Hills needs to make a New Years Resolution....do what it takes to get your best songs out there for others to hear!! You will be famous if the right person learns about your music!
God Bless you and yours in all ways, in Jesus name I pray, amen, peace, joy, and love to you and yours this Thanksgiving, I am thankful for everything that God has given me, especially someone in my life like you, sister jewel
Oh Barbara, I am so sorry. Such a bad fall you took. Your poor ankles. I hope you are a fast healer. That is so very much a hardship not being able to get around to do even the simplest things. I am sure you are hobbling about anyway, what choice do we have in the end. Are your ankles bandaged for support until they mend, I would think so. Please don't overdo. And as you said the postive point nowis that you have the time to create. Now there is no sorrow in that, what-so-ever. My little ailment is not near a hardship as yours. But I have had a virus since Wednesday and it hangs on making me feel more tired than anything else. I'll be very fine again soon. While you are resting to let the ankles heal, I will be waiting to hear your newest music come wafting across to me. Have a wonderfal Sunday and take good care of yourself my dear Barbara. Lovingly Maricet
Barbara..do U remember when I was telling about Lady Pilots who only did service flights during ww2, well now they got one in Red Arrows, she surpassed all the male contestants.. God is so right about nature of our knowledge n instructs us not to be certain about our own conclusions..for we do not know what tomorrow will bring, let tomorrow worry about itsel Jesus Taught.. To relax, sit back n watch God doing his work is what we all need to do more often..There is time for everything other Great wisdom in the Bible actually there is so much wisdom that one can build his/her life to it.. May God Bless U, Aki
Great profile. Peace and progress. Many thanks for adding me and your comment.. Any suggestions are welcomed. Hope you enjoy and dance to my Music. All the best wishes. Farid
Hi Barbara, thank you for stoppng by and commenting on my photos. I made a point of having my camera with me lately to catch autumn in it's glory. I am so gald I did because now it's all over. Strong winds and lots of rain have blown away all the leaves. I wish you a joyful day and a blessed weekend. Margrit
Dear Barbara! A very happy belated Birthday! I am sorry not to have written before--hope you had a great day surrounded by people you love -- I havent heard from you for ages , so I presume you have been very busy with your composing and teaching? We are coming to the end of the year and am busy with new admissions and report card assessments etc! Write soon! Hope your day is happy Amrita
Moon on the m.... is relaxing.... Fantastic beauiful songs. I did some songs like that but they are not here. I use to do a lot of that once. Strings and various sounds. Okay Barbara you are better than good. May your day shine
Barbara, actually it is Moon on the Moat that speaks to me right now so I changed it. I don't know how I mixed up the two songs. :) I would love to hear what inspired you to compose this piece, it is truly beautiful and when I listen to it I can see the moon light reflecting in the still water. my best to you Margrit
Hello Barbara n thanks for ur comments&hope, everything is actualizing just the way you want it, not in any other way, whasoever:) I learned interesting fact today as I was delivering boxes in Kent, women did fly spitfire but only for service purposes 84 old Jewish war veteran declared, he continued " You would not survive one day in my regiment":)...Anyways Lady Pilots would be interesting documentary topic on History Channel.. Take Care n remember to relax before Christmas time comes to town:) May God Bless U, Aki
Hello Barbara, ( the one woman band) :) thank you for finding me. Your music is wonderful, such soothing, warm vibrations. I wish you an inspired, creative week. Peace and Light Margrit
You have been knighted on my page. See left hang site at the bottom of the Sound Like side. Great songs as always here. Very lovely melodies are embedded and played in these songs. Always a pleasure to drop by unexpected and sing along in the tall green green grass of home.... He He
Happy Birthday - I had no idea. Hope the age went backwards. See music like this can reverse the aging process. Dr Oz knows all about it. Recall there was an LP with animal sounds. Barbara I have old songs like these somewhere. It's been so long and trouble was they were recorded on 1/2 in tape that I no longer have the machine to track them out but I can always get one to do so. May blessing follow you each & everyday. Hope the cake was really good. Not too much now.
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