THE GIFT TO BE FREE

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Composer — Traditional Shaker Tune
Arranger —  Arranged and Adapted with additional lyrics by Rollo Dilworth
Voicing + performing forces — SATB (with minimal divisi), accompanied
Call Number — 4896
Level — Easy/Medium 

Rollo Dilworth's The Gift to be Free is a great piece to start the year with a mixed choir.  The melody is familiar to most and provides an opportunity to teach phrasing and restraint.  In his arrangement, Dilworth has added gospel-style harmonies the gives choristers the opportunity to learn about stylistic colour.  While the piece is rhythmically simple, there are great teaching opportunities related to precision and moments of silence.  My choir has a lot of beginner singers in it and this piece has been incredibly unifying.  This is a great piece for teaching choristers how to listen and feel in harmony and time simply.

The Alberta Youth Choir 2014, under the direction of Rollo Dilworth.
The Gift to be Free at 9:17
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxknTb5Ef4g 

Contributed by Nicole Hounjet