I am a songwriter with a special interest in instrumental compositions. I have also written and arranged Christian music (mostly choral), and co-written songs in pop, rock, adult contemporary, and country genres.
Certificates:
- Master Certificate, Orchestration for Film and TV (Berklee Online)
- Specialist Certificate, Orchestrating and Producing Music for Film and Game (Berklee Online)
- Certified Lyricist (SongU.com)
Awards:
- One-course scholarship, Berklee Online, for my Orchestration I final project, "Gethsemane"
- Song of the Year Category Finalist, "Wash Me Now (Christian/Gospel)
- Song of the Year Category Finalist, "Gethsemane" (Instrumental)
- John Lennon Songwriting Contest, "Gentle Spirit (Christian/Gospel)
Competitions:
- Songs chosen for the Advent Praise CD: "Soli Deo Gloria" (co-writer Mitch Townley) & "Only You" (co-writer Eva Wilson)
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Artist Location
Lacombe, Alberta (Canada)
Contact
bmurrin@shaw.ca
Song Contest Credits
JOHN LENNON SONGWRITING CONTEST
- Honorable Mention (2003, Sacred; "Gentle Spirit")
SONG OF THE YEAR CONTEST
- Suggested Artist (Adult Contemporary, Dec. 2004; "Raindrops Make Me Cry")
- Honorable Mention (Christian/Gospel, May 2005; "Ruler of My Heart")
- Finalist (Christian/Gospel, July 2005; "Wash Me Now")
- Runner Up (Christian/Gospel, Jan. 2006; "Holy, Holy, Holy")
Competitions:
- Songs chosen for the Advent Praise CD: "Soli Deo Gloria" (co-writer Mitch Townley) & "Only You" (co-writer Eva Wilson)
Musical Background
Barb grew up with an artistically and musically talented mother, who wrote music herself, including two cantatas. Barb was exposed to both sacred and orchestral music, and the family sang together (in parts, a cappella) every Friday night for sundown worship.
Throughout junior high, senior high, and college, she played in bands and small instrumental groups (trumpet, flute, string bass) and sang in choirs and small groups (soprano). She also played clarinet in a community band one year, and French horn (on a borrowed instrument) in the Oshawa Symphony for two years.
Barb sang in and directed a 12-voice a cappella ensemble for over five years, for which she wrote and arranged sacred music. The group travelled to small churches (25 in one year), taking charge of the church services with concerts and readings. They put out a CD, "Gifts of the Cross," the beginning of 2006, after which the group disbanded for various reasons.
Expect to hear "fat" chords in both her original material and her covers of public domain music.
Barb undertook a self-study program, utilizing materials from Berklee College of Music in Boston and, starting in January 2006 at SongU.com--eventually earning her Certified Lyricist certificate from there.
After that, she earned these certificates from Berklee Online:
- Specialist Certificate, Orchestrating and Producing Music for Film and Game
- Master Certificate, Orchestration for Film and TV
She is grateful to have had the opportunity to pursue this training remotely.