ETERNAL GOLDEN BRAID.
Opus. 20
Instrumentation: String Orchestra (meant for middle school string orchestras)
Duration: 4.5 Minutes, One Movement
Commissioned By: YOURS Project Chicago
Scroll down for program note, recording, perusal score,
purchase options, and commissioner biography
PROGRAM NOTE.
This short piece was written specifically for the Chicago YOURS Project Orchestra (made up of elementary and middle school students) as part of my composition residency with them in August of 2013. Their performance was sans conductor! And I will never forget being at the dress rehearsal: sitting a few chairs away from me was a little boy who was attending the same summer orchestra program, and though he wasn't in the orchestra that was playing Eternal Golden Braid, he was humming along as they played their run-through. He had memorized the melodies just from hearing it down the hallway during rehearsals that week. He was just one of the many incredible young people I met during my residency with YOURS, and I will never forget the kindness and verve of those students.
Details // Concert Prep
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PDF Score + Part(s) sent via email within 2-3 business days. I’m excited to connect with you!
Purchase is for one copy only, just for you! Please don’t share or else I’ll be sad when I see it in my google alerts ; - )
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I want to meet you! Purchase of this pdf in the 23/24 season comes with a 30 min zoom session, if you’d appreciate that during your rehearsal process. You’ll receive scheduling instructions in the delivery email with your music.
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I’m excited to help promote your concert(s) on social media and include it on the website!
If you already have a concert date in mind, you’ll receive instructions on sending me concert info in the delivery email with your music.
commissioner biography.
The YOURS youth orchestra project in Chicago, currently serving over 160 students, is inspired by the remarkable el Sistema pedagogy. It only takes a moment of reflection to see how a youth orchestra is an opportunity to teach musical skills that transfer into life skills. In an orchestra, every musician must practice, practice, practice in order to improve. For life, children learn that with discipline it is within their power to take the action necessary to succeed.
In an orchestra, each musician must be prepared to give their best because the performance of one musician affects the whole orchestra. For life, children learn that they are responsible for one another. In an orchestra, each musician must cooperate with the group for the orchestra to sound its best. For life, children learn that communities accomplish great things when people work together toward a common goal. Children are given their own instrument to play, bring home and care for while in orchestra.
An intensive after-school rehearsal schedule accomplishes several purposes. It keeps children close to a safe and constructive activity thus limiting opportunities for negative influences such as gang recruitment. It allows the children to regularly experience real accomplishment. Their skills progress quickly because bad habits are corrected and good habits are reinforced daily. It allows children from broken homes to become part of a consistently supportive community that fosters the self-worth necessary to overcome hardships. Activities are structured around group learning to emphasize community building. Children learn that they are an important part of the group, cannot hide within the group sound and will not be left behind. At the same time, they learn that if one community member does not do his or her best, the performance of the entire group is affected.The effects of early music instruction flow infinitely outward.
The children learn discipline that is transferable to school, work and family. They become part of supportive stable relationships that can be modeled elsewhere, and learn music skills that will create life-long friendships and wage-earning opportunities. Children receive instruction that gives their parents hope; hope that their children will have a better future than the parents would otherwise be able to give. As for the music instructors in their 20’s, imagine how much more these young adults will accomplish because they experienced the capacity of making a difference at the start of their adult lives.