From the work of Bobby McFerrin and his vocal orchestra – Voicestra http://www.bobbymcferrin.com
and Rhiannon http://www.RhiannonMusic.com

Circle Song

One person gives out repeating parts to the groups.

Find parts by first singing what’s inside, then refining to find a motor part. Harmony is good. Look for spaces in the motor part to interlock new parts.

Find parts by first solo-ing over what is already created.
Play with rhythm – try putting 3 over 4 or try something in an odd rhythm like 5/4, 7/8, 9/8
Play with tonality – use some unusual harmonies, try notes that may not be the “first choices”
Play with language – try using some sounds you don’t always use; experiment with different consonants; imagine you’re speaking a language you don’t know but have a sound in your ear eg. french, russian, italian, etc.

The person giving out the parts can then solo over the foundation they have created.

Solo-ist can then step out and let another person solo and/or create new parts…

Words by Elise Witt, composer unknown
Non Si Sa Mai Music ASCAP

Up To You
Listen up, it’s time to act
Time to move, and that’s a fact
Your head and your heart tell you what to do
Time is now, and it’s up to you!

by Elise Witt
w/Sonia Osio, Kate Long, Joanne Hammil,
Sue Ribaudo, Ann Kilkelly, Carol Burch Brown, Inge Witt
© Non Si Sa Mai Music ASCAP

MY SALSA GARDEN

Do you have a recipe for my Salsa Garden?

Cilantro, lime, cumin, coriander
Onion, garlic for my Salsa Garden!

Really red, really ripe, really red, really ripe
Real tomatoes juicy juicy for my Salsa Garden!

Hot jalapeños, ayyyyy! For my Salsa Garden!

Dance with me in my garden, dance with me
Dance with me in my garden, dance with me

Ay que rico bailar contigo
Ay que rico bailar mi amor
Ay que rico bailar mi cielo
Dale sabor

Sabrosura, sabrosura
Picantico de mi amor
Cuando tú bailas conmigo
Se me hace agüita el corazón

Shona from Zimbabwe

HALLELUJAH

Hallelujah Shona #1 w text

by Elise Witt © Non Si Sa Mai Music ASCAP

with Paula Larke, Linda Parris-Bailey, Jo Carson, Celeste Miller (members of Alternate ROOTS, a coalition of artists from the Southeastern United States, who work at the intersection of arts and activism)

Conceived and created for 5 Women from the South, a collaborative performance piece commissioned by the New Orleans Contemporary Arts Center

NIGHT BLOOMING JASMINE

In the darkness, we walk with light

In the darkness, we walk with light

Like the night blooming jasmine, we light up the night

In the darkness, we walk with light

A shining darkness glows in me

Its warmth and beauty set me free

There is a darkness in my soul

It’s warm black power makes me whole

Available as a choral arrangement for SATB, SSAA, TTBB in the Elise Witt Choral Series

by Elise Witt with students from the Global Village Project

© Non Si Sa Mai Music ASCAP

I See You With My Heart

I see you with my eyes, I see you with my heart
Welcome! Welcome!
Ming-a-la-ba *BURMESE (Burma)

Gaw-la-GAY * KAREN (Burma)
Sti-reh-mah-sheh *PASHTO (Afghanistan)
A-ma-ho-ro *KIRUNDI (Burundi)
Hak-kahm *OROMO (Ethiopia)
Na-sa-ding-aa *MATU CHIN (Burma)
Namaste *HINDI (India)

I See You With My Heart PARTS

with thanks to t’ai chi teacher Cate Morrill & Rising Phoenix T’ai Chi

and

the Global Village Project

BOWING OUT (with Sign Language)

(Right hand fist) = Power

(Left hand open covers right hand) = Yielding – yielding always overcomes strength

I am powerful (Right hand fist)

I am gentle (Left hand open covers right hand)

I am a Student (open hands like a book, put information from book into mind)

I am a Teacher (take contents of the mind and share it out)

I am beautiful (hand furls in a spiral around the face)

I am kind (cross arms over chest with closed hands)

I am respectful (cross pointer and middle finger of both hands to make letter R, with hands pointing up, bring hands with letter R down and out in front of chest)

I am thankful, grateful, appreciative (lips closed, open hand, tips of fingers with flat hand on chin, bring hand forward slowly)