Elisabeth Swim
Teaching Musician, Author & Composer
A naturally gifted music teacher – John Alston, Founding Director of Chester Children's Chorus
Elisabeth Commanday Swim, M.A. & NACYT draws out her student's strengths and guides them smoothly through the dynamic challenges of reading, singing and playing music.
Her two books for parents of active children are available on Amazon:
Her two books for parents of active children are available on Amazon:
Elisabeth holds a master's degree in Music Performance from Hunter College in New York City, where she studied classical voice from the late Norma Newton, who also counted among her students numerous Houston Grand Opera artists. At Hunter, she received the Shirley P. Mintz prize for excellence in musicianship.
Elisabeth teaches piano to students of diverse levels, aged three to adult. She has accompanied voice lessons and choir rehearsals, and performed as a pianist and organist in churches throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.
She was a featured Easter soloist at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, and can be heard on disc with Volti, on the album *Turn the Page *(Innova). With the internationally-renowned Kronos Quartet, she performed the voice of Russian Doll Cheburashka on the album *Terry Riley: The Cusp of Magic* (Nonesuch). In Houston, she has performed at the Via Colori festival benefitting the Center for Hearing and Speech and won the A.R. Rahman singing competition held in Sugar Land in 2010.
Elisabeth had a great time in the title role of Carlitos and the Magic Garden, a handmade puppet show by Tania Esmeralda Padilla.
Elisabeth teaches piano to students of diverse levels, aged three to adult. She has accompanied voice lessons and choir rehearsals, and performed as a pianist and organist in churches throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.
She was a featured Easter soloist at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, and can be heard on disc with Volti, on the album *Turn the Page *(Innova). With the internationally-renowned Kronos Quartet, she performed the voice of Russian Doll Cheburashka on the album *Terry Riley: The Cusp of Magic* (Nonesuch). In Houston, she has performed at the Via Colori festival benefitting the Center for Hearing and Speech and won the A.R. Rahman singing competition held in Sugar Land in 2010.
Elisabeth had a great time in the title role of Carlitos and the Magic Garden, a handmade puppet show by Tania Esmeralda Padilla.
An absolute blessing to my children.– Parent of 10-year-old and 8 year-old musicians
All three of my children stopped in their tracks to listen when I put on your song! – Parent of preschool and elementary-aged musicians
Listen freely to her mindful and practical music for young children and their families on Funny Tomato. Or click listen, above, for a sample!
A resident teaching artist at the Institute for Special Needs Children's Next Step Academy, Elisabeth is a gifted teacher to young people with neurological differences. She is trained in Brain Dance, Brain Gym and Rhythmic Movement Training (CRMTi), which are time-tested methods of increasing learning aptitude. She enjoys using these body-mind techniques in student warm-ups and performance preparation.
Elisabeth is an interfaith music minister in the Sikh Community where she sings and plays harmonium. She also guest leads Christian liturgical music. Elisabeth wears a Sikh turban both for physical comfort in Houston's dynamic climate, and for cultural reasons.
A resident teaching artist at the Institute for Special Needs Children's Next Step Academy, Elisabeth is a gifted teacher to young people with neurological differences. She is trained in Brain Dance, Brain Gym and Rhythmic Movement Training (CRMTi), which are time-tested methods of increasing learning aptitude. She enjoys using these body-mind techniques in student warm-ups and performance preparation.
Elisabeth is an interfaith music minister in the Sikh Community where she sings and plays harmonium. She also guest leads Christian liturgical music. Elisabeth wears a Sikh turban both for physical comfort in Houston's dynamic climate, and for cultural reasons.