To the musicians of the band Simple Gifts, their music is a natural sound, nothing dazzling or spectacular. They don't see it as work or an effort, but as enjoyment and a constant in their lives.

Band members Linda Littleton, Toby Carlson and Paul Oorts get together and play music because they want to touch the people who listen to their music, Littleton said.

"What we have to give is a gift," Carlson said.

Littleton said she wants people to enjoy the music and feel good about it. She said one time her co-workers sent her a message through electronic mail that said their songs brought tears to a listener's eyes. Carlson shared the same sentiment.

"One time we played at a nursing home. I saw the people there tapping their feet," Carlson said. "If they could have, they would have gotten out of their seats and danced.

Littleton, a PSU staff member at the Center for Academic Computing, said she finds it interesting how the group coheres despite different backgrounds.

"Music has no barriers," she said. "I think it's neat how music brings people with different backgrounds together."

The ability to play more than one instrument is common in the group. Carlson, a professor of meteorology, plays the violin, recorder and other string and wind instruments. Oorts (graduate-comparative literature) plays the guitar, banjo and mandolin. Each band member contributes to the group, Oorts said.

"Our music is like fusion," Carlson said. "A unique fusion."

Each member has played their various instruments since childhood, said Littleton, who plays the violin, recorder and psaltery (a harp-like instrument). This influences the type of music they play, she added.

Littleton said she believes this depth is key for listeners because they get to hear various sounds from the different instruments.

"It's interesting for people to watch. Sometimes we change instruments right in the middle of a tune," Littleton added.

All three play in other bands, Oorts said, adding that each finds time to balance their busy schedules.

Despite the member's hectic lives, the time they put into their music pays off when the final version is complete. The band's newest release Down by the Sally Gardens includes songs from England, Ireland, Scotland and America. Their music is a blend of folk, classical and Renaissance music, Carlson said. They perform instrumentals including pieces from the 16th-19th century through today's traditional music.

"Some of the songs are 100 to 300 years old . . . We even play a song from A River Runs Through It," Carlson added.

They said they get their inspiration from anything they hear, from folk music to Renaissance or classical music, Littleton said.

Simple Gifts isn't trying to emulate anyone, Carlson said.

"Our music has a simple elegance," Littleton added.