"Jimmy Sky Rhapsody" an original composition for full orchestra by Cheryl Shantz

An original composition for full Orchestra by composer Cheryl Shantz, with photographic contributions from Jim Schumaker. While this piece was inspired by Jimmy Sky, an Iroquois elder and faith keeper on the Six Nations Reserve in Canada, it is a tribute to all First Nations people of North America. For many years, until Jimmy Sky died in 2000, he devoted much of his life to the preservation of Iroquois traditions, and to helping non-Native people understand and appreciate them. "Jimmy Sky Rhapsody" is based on an Iroquois Moccasin Dance, a social dance that is typically accompanied by song and drums. In 1983, Cheryl and her husband Jack started a project to record and transcribe First Nations music. As part of that, it was their privilege to have this Moccasin Dance performed by Jimmy Sky and two other Iroquois men on the Reserve. As the men started singing to the steady thumping beats of the Water Drum, Cheryl and Jack became mesmerized as if they were being transported to another time and space. At the end, when they asked Jimmy Sky about the historical role of the social dance, he replied that it is to show and share your happiness, and to deepen their bonds between people. Following this, Jimmy Sky went on to teach Cheryl and Jack a great deal about the Iroquois and First Nations people, for which they are deeply grateful. Over the years, Cheryl's compositions have become a blend of folk and classical music. The Iroquois Moccasin Dance lent itself well to this stylistic mergence in which she combines the evocative melody and unique powerful rhythms of the dance with sounds that reflect Iroquois life forces and the natural world. With "Jimmy Sky Rhapsody," Cheryl wanted to accentuate the mood and spirit of the dance without overshadowing its elegant simplicity. See the following website for a full list of Cheryl Shant'z original orchestral works: http://www.cherylshantz.blogspot.com/ To see a listing of folksong arrangements by Cheryl Shantz, visit the following website: http://cshantz.blogspot.com/ For a listing of her original song compositions, visit the following website: http://cmshantz.blogspot.com/