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Buhr, Glenn (b. 1954, Winnipeg, Manitoba). Canadian composer of mostly orchestral, chamber and choral works that have been performed in Europe and North America.
Prof. Buhr studied composition with Lawrence Ritchey and Casey Sokol at the University of Manitoba, where he received his BMus in 1979, and with William Benjamin and Stephen Chatman at the University of British Columbia, where he earned his MMus in 1981. He then studied composition with William Albright, Leslie Bassett and William Bolcom at the University of Michigan and there earned his DMA in 1984.
His honors include the SOCAN Prize (for Beren and Lúthien), a prize in the CBC young composers competition (for le rêve rêvient...), the Italian Pro Loco Corciano Prize (for Epigrams), and First Prize in the competition of the American Harp Society (for Tanzmusik). More recently, he received the Prairie Music Award for Outstanding Classical Recording of the Year (2000, for the CBC recording of winter poems). Other CDs featuring his works have earned him three Juno nominations. In addition, he has received commissions from the Detroit Contemporary Chamber Ensemble, pianist Janina Fialkowska, the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, the Penderecki String Quartet, the Toronto Children's Chorus, and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, among other ensembles, orchestras and soloists.
Prof. Buhr is also active in other positions. He co-founded with Bramwell Tovey the Winnipeg New Music Festival in 1990 and served as its curator from 1990-96. He also served as composer-in-residence to the orchestra from 1990-96 and has since been the orchestra's Artist Laureate. Recently, he served as music director of the St. Norbert Arts and Cultural Centre and artistic director of the Music in the Ruins festival in Manitoba and has served as director of new music for the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra since 2002. Moreover, he is occasionally active as a guest conductor with orchestras in Canada.
He has taught as Professor of Composition and University Research Professor (the first creative artist to earn this title at the university) at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo since 1998.
In addition to the works listed below, he has composed numerous scores for dance, film and stage productions.
CONTACT INFORMATION
E-mail address: g.buhr@shaw.ca
E-mail address for consulting scores: Counterpoint_Musical@compuserve.com
SELECT LIST OF WORKS
STAGE: Flux (musical), 2001; Beauty and the Beast (ballet), 2002-03
ORCHESTRAL: Epigrams, symphonic band, 1982; Beren and Lúthien, large orchestra, 1984; Lure of the Fallen Seraphim, large orchestra, 1986-87; Ecstasy, 1988; Akasha, 1989 (may also be performed as a section of The Cycle of Spring); Jyotir, 1989 (may also be performed as a section of The Cycle of Spring); Concerto, trumpet, orchestra, 1990; Three Pieces, string orchestra, 1991 (each of its sections may be performed separately or in any paired combination); Double Concerto, flute, harp, orchestra, 1991; Concerto, piano, orchestra, 1992; winter poems, large orchestra, 1994; Concerto, viola, orchestra, 1994; faust flying, large orchestra, 1996; Symphony No. 1, 'shift' (formerly 'de joie'), 1997, revised 2002; Triple Concerto, clarinet, violin, piano, orchestra, 1999; Ricercare, string orchestra, 2000; Concerto, violin, orchestra, 2000; In gloriam, cello, orchestra, 2000; Serenade for J, small orchestra, 2001; Symphony No. 2, 'Adagio pathétique', 2001; Two Songs with Doubles, violin, cello, orchestra, 2001
CHAMBER MUSIC: The Ebony Tower, alto saxophone, double bass, piano, 1985; Danses Abstraites, flute, harp, 1986; Tanzmusik, harp, 1986; Variazioni, viola, piano, 1989; String Quartet No. 1, 1992; Interiors, flute, 1993; Sonata, violin, 1993; String Quartet No. 2, 'sixblues', 1996; ...through the heat we're barely moving, flute, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, piano, percussion, 1997; Licht und Schatten Fantasie, flute, clarinet, piano, percussion, string quartet, double bass, 1999; Chronicles and Laments, clarinet, string quartet, 2001
CHORAL: The Cycle of Spring (text from the Upanishads [translated by the composer]), mezzo-soprano, mixed chorus, orchestra, 1988 (may also be performed with Akasha and Jyotir; two of its sections may be performed separately: Ananda, mixed chorus, orchestra; Aviravirmayedhi, mixed chorus, orchestra); Kamamaya (texts from Sanskrit books), mixed chorus, piano, 1989; Season of Spring Days (text by Matsuo Basho), girls' chorus, piano, 1993; Cathedral Songs (text by Margaret Sweatman), children's chorus, distant brass ensembles, percussion ensemble, large orchestra, 1995; Agnus Dei, mixed chorus, piano, 1996; Ritchot Mass, mixed chorus, string quartet, 1997 (also version without string quartet, 1997); Three Songs (text by Margaret Sweatman), mezzo-soprano, string quartet, 1998; Gloria, soprano, mixed chorus, orchestra, 2000
VOCAL: The Tale of Tinúviel (text by J.R.R. Tolkien), tenor, harp, 1986; Lacrimosa (text by the composer), mezzo-soprano, piano, 1989; Níniel (text by the composer), soprano, flute, oboe, violin, cello, piano, 1990; The Jumblies (text by Edward Lear), soprano, orchestra, 1993
PIANO: le rêve rêvient..., 2 pianos, 1981; foxnocturne, 1996; Two Pieces (after the Prelude and Fugue in G minor, BWV 861 by Johann Sebastian Bach), 2000
DISCOGRAPHY
Concerto. Christina Petrowska Quilico, piano; Bramwell Tovey/Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (CBC Records: SMCD 5141)
winter poems; The Jumblies; Concerto (viola); Beren and Lúthien. Tracy Dahl, soprano; Neal Gripp, viola; Bramwell Tovey/Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (CBC Records: SMCD 5184)
Improvisational Suite. Glenn Buhr, piano (CBC Stereo-Weekender: WKD R001)
The Tale of Tinúviel; Variazioni; Ananda; Kamamaya. Anne-Marie Donovan, mezzo-soprano; William Sperandei, trumpet; Neal Gripp, viola; Glenn Buhr, piano; Victor Martens/Laurier Singers (Gandharva Editions: GECD 9001)
Tanzmusik. Judy Loman, harp (Marquis Classics: MAR 165)
Three Songs; String Quartet Nos. 1-2; Ritchot Mass (original version). Anne-Marie Donovan, mezzo-soprano; Penderecki String Quartet; Henry Engbrecht/University of Manitoba Singers (Marquis Classics: MAR 237)
Danses Abstraites. Nora Shulman, flute; Judy Loman, harp (Marquis Classics: MAR 297)
foxnocturne. Shirley Sawatsky, piano (NamEditions: NMM003)
Broken Songs. (Staccato Chapbooks: 001)
Akasha; Jyotir; The Cycle of Spring; Lure of the Fallen Seraphim. Bramwell Tovey/Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (WSO Records: WSOCD-9201)
(Last updated on April 27, 2005)
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