Daughter of the Stars - No Divisi

or string orchestra, with no divisi and an optional harp part. Suitable for competitions. The arrival of the Shenandoah melody in the middle of the piece could be played as a trio of the section leaders (viola, cello, and bass) or harp solo. Inspired by the American folk tune, Shenandoah, (the word meaning "spruce stream, great plains, beautiful daughter of the stars"), "Daughter of the Stars" suggests the ambiguous origins of the folk tune: a sea shanty; a song sung by fur traders; a song originating with slaves (perhaps the lyrics "across the wide Missouri" were originally "across this world o' mis'ry.") Incorporating a wide span of emotion, "Daughter of the Stars" takes the listener on a journey down a musical river filled with wonder and anticipation, conflict and turbulence, melancholy and longing, hope and serenity.