Ambient composer Beverly Glenn-Copeland reveals dementia diagnosis

Acclaimed ambient composer Beverly Glenn-Copeland has shared news of his dementia diagnosis.

In a video posted via Instagram on September 23, the 80-year-old musician was joined by his wife, Elizabeth Glenn-Copeland, to announce the news, revealing that his upcoming tour will be his last.

"For a while now, we have been managing – privately, that is – my diagnosis of a cognitive disorder known as dementia," Glenn-Copeland said. The couple go on to explain what the disease is, explaining that Glenn-Copeland’s memory and spatial capabilities have been affected.

"It does not impact my ability to be fully in the moment with those I love,” the American-born, Canada-based artist asserts.

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Beneath the couple’s emotional revelation, there is strength and resilience throughout: “One of the things that’s really painful about this illness is that it is taking Glenn away from me, from us, a little bit at a time. Sometimes for me, as his caretaker and as his wife, it feels like death by a thousand cuts. And yet, as these parts of him go, I see his essential light shining brighter than ever. So, as is often the case in life, amid this sadness, there is also a really profound beauty,” says Elizabeth.

The couple say that they want to “challenge the mainstream image of this illness”, which "focuses on loss” and that, despite the diagnosis, they have been experiencing “a massive creative renewal” that will see them writing a book, adapt a musical and create a children’s TV show.

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With a 50-year recording career, Glenn-Copeland’s music spans jazz, folk, new age and ambient. His 1986 album ‘Keyboard Fantasies’ experienced a resurgence of popularity when it was discovered by a Japanese audiophile named Ryota Masuko and reissued in 2015.

The musician garnered further attention during the COVID pandemic when his calming, healing compositions provided the perfect antidote to the chaos of what was going on.

Following this, in 2023, he released his first album in 20 years, ‘The Ones Ahead’.

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His art and life was captured in the 2019 documentary Keyboard Fantasies. In a review of the film, electronic artist Caribou said: “How could music that beautiful have been forgotten for so long?”

One of the first openly transgender musicians, Glenn-Copeland is an inspiration to many and contributed songs to the upcoming Red Hot compilation, TRAИƧA, which celebrates trans artistry.

His track ‘La Vita’ was also sampled on Romy’s hit single ‘Enjoy Your Life’.

The dates for Glenn-Copeland’s upcoming and final tour are listed below.

Tour dates:
26/09 Montreal, Quebec - Rialto Theatre
28/09 New York, NY - TRANSA: A Celebration at Performance Space New York
30/09 Brooklyn, NY - Pioneer Works
05/10 Saugerties, NY - Opus 40

Meena Sears is Mixmag's Digital Intern, follow her on Instagram