My Kind-hearted Boy for Flute Quartet and Piano (or Harp) by Linthicum-Blackhorse.

From Linthicum-Blackhorse: "This Lakota lullaby (“Čhaŋté Wašté Hokšíla”) was traditionally sung by mothers towards their young boys, though the song was, and still is, sung to all children regardless of gender. Old songs are often mistaken for having “no words” because many of the ancient vocabulary were single syllables and, to the non-native speaker/singer, they sound like assorted, meaningless vowels. Reviving the meanings behind many of these songs has proven a rewarding and frustrating challenge since most of our living elders were persecuted for using the language or singing the songs. Now there are abundant variations on any traditional song––I was taught the Sičháŋǧu na Oglála Lakȟóta interpretations which I have used in my lyrical writing."

This song is dedicated to the victims and survivors of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX on May 24, 2022.

Instrumentation

• 2 C Flutes
• Alto Flute
• Bass Flute
• Piano (or Harp)