This year, for Easter, I arranged new versions of "Ave Maria" and
"In the Garden" for the Mills Violano Virtuoso, an antique musical
instrument made by the Mills Novelty Company about 100 years ago.
Watch and listen to them play at the following YouTube links:

  In the Garden:  http://youtu.be/bu9Mk_APbiw
 
  Ave Maria:      http://youtu.be/o7qvDDaoWsU
 

"In the Garden" -- This new arrangement includes some multi-string
violin harmonies which I was very happy to work into the song.  The
song was written about 1912 by C. Austin Miles, an amateur photographer
who had a vision of Mary Magdalene visiting the empty tomb.  In this
vision he saw her leave the tomb and walk into the garden where she
met the risen Jesus.

"Ave Marie" -- This arrangement of Schubert's 1825 melody also includes
some multi-string violin harmonies.  The Mills Violano Virtuoso
presents a unique opportunity to play multiple violin strings with
different note timing and pitches.

This instrument's ability to reproduce such beautiful music is a
tribute to its manufacturer 100 years ago and the quality of its recent
rebuild.  This instrument now plays by either paper rolls or from MIDI
music files from an iPad.

Making play lists and arranging music for MIDI instruments is easier
than I expected.  At the MBSI annual meeting in Florida this October,
there will be a workshop on how you can arrange music for a Mills
Violano or similar MIDI enabled instrument.  You can see all of the
workshop topics at  http://mbsi2014.org/workshops.html 

Hope you enjoy the new music.

Wayne Finger