Holly Marland's setting of extracts from Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet, commissioned by Christopher Stokes for the Choristers of Manchester Cathedral and recorded live in concert at Manchester Cathedral on 29 June 2015. 

You are the Mirror

A setting of a very old latin text - where charity and love are, God is there.

Ubi Caritas Et Amor

Turning (outlandish expressions of love)

A duet for Koras - written and recorded Saturday 17 October 2015 - played on my two beautiful G Koras, Grenouille and Songchild.

Parent To Child

My own acapella arrangement of Adele's new release for 8 female voices. Please see www.koraqueen.wordpress.com for more detail on my work and visit https://soundcloud.com/holly-marland for more tracks. Thank you so much everyone for the support. I believe everyone is innately musical and by sharing music we can respond above and beyond the commercial. That's why Adele's strong melodies and simple harmonies always say 'hello' to each of us in person!

Adele - Hello (arranged for acapella female choir)

In Grulin upon the Isle of Eigg, underneath the limpet hammer of the Norse giant Husdal, stands the well of the holy woman. The holy woman's heart burst with kindness for the people of the Island and for the God she served. If you drink from the well you will know that she is near and that she is still praying for the people of the Island. This is a song which sprang from the well. It is dedicated to Sarah and Katrin. I spent 5 days on Eigg and improvised music in many different parts of the island. I will be gathering these together of the next few weeks and then returning to Eigg to record them in August.

Tobar nam ban Naoimh (Well of the Holy Woman)

A very simple and short setting of If Ye Love Me for Daily service 17 October for soprano, alto and Kora

If Ye Love Me

Come With Me Come Wander

An arrangement of The Truth from Above for the BBC Daily Service on Thursday 22 December

The Truth From Above

A setting of words by Bishop Robert Willis for the BBC Daily Service on 22 December

Let Us Turn Our Faces To The Light

An arrangement of a traditional carol for BBC Daily Service Thursday 22 January 2016

In The Bleak Midwinter

An arrangement of Carter's hymn for a BBC Daily service in February 2017

When I Needed A Neighbour

An arrangement of A New Commandment (Anon) for Kora, two voices and recorder for BBC Daily Service in February 2017

A New Commandment

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Fellow Traveller

A live recording of a movement from the recently premiered oratorio So Many Beauties, performed at Manchester Cathedral on 6 April 2017. The oratorio was composed by Holly through working with people with dementia in different care settings. It was funded by Arts Council England. This movement was inspired by a Polish patient in hospital who exclaimed "So many beauties" as Holly and the student musicians played by her bedside. Also by conversations with other patients about nature and the power and beauty of natural sounds. Although people with dementia might struggle to communicate verbally, we should listen carefully to the sounds they are making as each sound has some intent.

So Many Beauties

A draft home recording of a new song inspired by a prayer for a traveller about to embark on pilgrimage. This prayer was collected from the Western Isles of Scotland in the "Carmina Gadelica". I recently came back from the Western Isle of Eigg in Scotland which really feels like home to me. I hope to be back there on my musical pilgrimage again soon. Written for Kora, 3 voices, piano and strings.

Till I come home again

Holly has a gift for composing direct, thought provoking, and engaging music drawing on her talents as a professional singer and kora player. 

She is building a portfolio of commissioned work that includes works written for Manchester Cathedral Choristers and the BBC Daily Service Singers amongst others.

This page features selected recent works. Holly can be contacted at hollymarlandmusic@gmail.com

Holly Marland Composer

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