Gettysburg, PA – Simple Gifts comes to the Adams County Library System, bringing three family-friendly events to the Trone Memorial Library and one to the Gettysburg Library. This award-winning band consists of two women who perform with an impressive array of instruments, including two violins, mandolin, hammered dulcimer, recorders, banjo, and guitar, plus some more unusual instruments like the bowed psaltery, baritone fiddle, shruti box, banjolin, guitjo, and doumbek. Drawing on an impressive variety of ethnic folk styles, the dynamic duo plays everything from lively Irish jigs and down-home American reels to hard-driving Klezmer frailachs and haunting Gypsy melodies, spicing the mix with the distinctive rhythms of Balkan dance music, the lush sounds of Scandinavian twin fiddling, and original compositions written in a traditional style. Space is limited, and registration is required for all events at www.adamslibrary.org/simplegifts.
Simple Gifts Concert at the Trone Memorial Library – Monday, July 31, from 6:30-8:00 PM
The community is invited to hear the duo Simple Gifts perform. Hear Linda Littleton and Karen Hirshon play a variety of ethnic and folk music on an array of instruments.
Ethnic Music Presentation at the Gettysburg Library – Tuesday, August 1, from 6:30-8:00 PM
Simple Gifts demonstrates and explains the wide variety of instruments and styles they play and introduces the audience to the stylist differences of genres such as Romanian, Klezmer, Greek, Irish, Appalachian, Swedish music & more.
Learn to Play Spoons at the Trone Memorial Library – Monday, July 31 · 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
During this session, children ages 8 and up can learn how to play spoons, following in the Appalachian tradition. Simple Gifts will also introduce the rudiments of arranging music. Immediately following this brief session, Simple Gifts will perform a children’s concert.
I Wish I Played an Instrument! at the Trone Memorial Library – Tuesday, August 1, from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
In this session, Simple Gifts will demonstrate ten folk instruments and discuss the pros and cons of playing each one. There will be an opportunity for participants to handle and play some of the featured instruments. Open to all ages.
The Friends of the Trone Memorial Library received a grant through the Adams County Arts Council’s STAR GRANT PROGRAM, which is funded by the ADAMS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, THE BOROUGH OF GETTYSBURG, and the ROBERT C. HOFFMAN CHARITABLE ENDOWMENT TRUST.