Serious Kookaburra Business (Grade 1.5-2) for String Orchestra
"Serious Kookaburra Business" features Keith Sharps's arrangement of the original Australian song "Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree" by Marion Sinclair. The folio was published by Music House String Publications in 2006 and contains one score (7 pages), parts for string orchestra (8-8-4-6-2), and an optional piano accompaniment. The conductor's score cover verso notes that the song was originally written in 1934 by Marion Sinclair as a massed choral item for an international scout jamboree hosted in Australia. It was arranged for a grade level of 1, in the key of D major, for 1 hour and 30 minutes. The publisher's website notes a higher grade level (1.5-2) for the arrangement. The music is classified as a string orchestra, arranged for juvenile musicians, and features instrumental settings of children's songs in English from Australia. Larrikin Music Publishing Pty Ltd. copyrights the folio, and Music House String Publications Pty Ltd copyrights the arrangement.
Keith Sharp obtained his Bachelor of Music degree in 1984. He then became a string educator in the Gap region of Brisbane, Australia, where he still teaches. In 1995, he completed a postgraduate diploma in education. Throughout his teaching career, Keith has created award-winning string programs and ensembles while pursuing his passion for composition. His beautifully crafted and imaginative works are highly sought-after throughout Australia and, more recently, have gained popularity among teachers in the United States, Great Britain, and Germany. Keith remains actively engaged as a clinician, guest conductor, and guest lecturer.
