Mysterious Gifts (String Orchestra Gr. 3.5)

This is a fun and exciting piece that utilizes the popular shaker tune “Simple Gifts”. Apart from the traditional setting of the folk melody, this creation explores the melody through dark and light harmonic structures. At the suggestion of one of his students, Hinkel has taken the famous melody but with a darker twist while remaining exciting and fun to perform. Mysterious Gifts also creates several educational and challenging moments where students will explore higher range notes in addition to fourth finger placements.

Genre: String Orchestra | # of Players: 8-8-5-5-5
Series: Emerald Orchestra Series
Level: 3.5 | Duration: 3:10

Instrumentation
Conductor's Score (8.5"x11" booklet)

Violin I
Violin II
Viola
Cello
Bass

Program Notes
This is a fun and exciting piece that utilizes the popular shaker tune “Simple Gifts”. Apart from the traditional setting of the folk melody, this creation explores the melody through dark and light harmonic structures. This piece, when created, was the idea of Ethan Buffkin, a Senior orchestra student at Aynor High School in Aynor, South Carolina. He asked the composer to use the famous melody but with a darker twist while remaining exciting and fun to perform. Mysterious Gifts also creates several educational and challenging moments where students will explore higher range notes in addition to fourth finger placements.