Few contemporary artists come close to matching Witt’s impact on the number of communities she has become a part of in order to help them through her deeds and music. From her modest Pine Lake home to countries the world over, Witt reaches people everywhere with her determined sense of social justice and equality for all and her commitment to advocating for the neediest among us.
“My Journey Yours” is one of the most moving pieces on our upcoming program “Rituals and Transformations,” to be performed at the ACDA National Conference in Kansas City. I found your piece last year and programmed it for the small advanced ensemble I conduct at Cantabile Youth Singers, called “Aria.” My colleague Elena Sharkova was so moved by the performance that she decided to program it for our larger group of advanced singers for their performance at ACDA. Our audiences have heard this program now two or three times and have been incredibly touched by it.
by Elise Witt
© Non Si Sa Mai Music ASCAP
sung by Springdale Park Elementary Spark
Atlanta GA ~ Directed by Brianne Turgeon
Check out our new music video for Spiral – we just entered it into NPR tiny desk contest!
Elise Witt – An interview with the singer, composer, educator, recording artist and community activist. “I wanted to contribute to change and connect to people through my music.” Elise Witt is a person who is driven to make the world a better place through music and the performing arts. After being born in Switzerland and spending her early childhood in upstate New York, Elise was raised in the southern U.S. state of North Carolina and since 1977 has made Georgia her home. Her mother used to sing in a choir in Switzerland and Elise carries on that singing tradition. Her main interests through her school years were languages of the world. She would study this in college and is fluent in French, German, Italian, Spanish and English.
I met Elise Witt years ago when she came to Minneapolis to lead a singing workshop. In that afternoon together, I learned songs from her that I am still singing today. It was also the beginning of long, deep and inspiring friendship, fostered by my frequent visits to Atlanta. What a blessing that she lives in the same town as my brother and his family! We have sung a number of concerts together and always cherish the way our work – like our voices – intertwine.