Ever since Elise Witt moved to Atlanta in 1977, the acclaimed folk singer, educator and activist has made it her duty to foster community through song.
“This is the body of work,” Witt says. “Everything I do is extremely eclectic. There are songs in the songbook you can sit at home and play on your guitar, songs you can sing with friends on the front porch and songs you can sing with a choir.”
Lois Reitzes talks with Atlanta-based singer/songwriter Elise Witt about the “All Singing: The Elise Witt Songbook Release Concert.”
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