Hope Littwin

(Miami Herld Neighbors Section (Kendall)

May 15, 2005

"Hope Littwin, 18, writes and sings folk music. She’s been singing since she was 4, and her teacher expects her talents to be recognized soon."

BY ANI MARTINEZ
armartinez@herald.com

Close your eyes and imagine a voice crisp as the spring air. Imagine the sound of a guitar adorning, but no overpowering, words. Imagine listening to lyrics you could swear were written just for you.

Now imagine you have been listening to an 18-year-old girl play her heart out on the guitar.

“I am trying to become an artist,” said Hope Littwin, a Kendall resident.

But her vocal coach Michael Kyrr quickly interrupted her: “No, you are and artist.”

Why is he so sure?

It is the “she has got it in her” story many in the music business cite. Littwin started ballet and voice lessons when she was 4. She then chose musical theater to bring both of her talents together. Originally from Seattle, she moved to Miami and attended New World School of the Arts for two and a half years and later graduated from Killian High.

She has been attending voice lessons with Kyrr for four years, but in the past year and a half, she has written 60 songs and played at more than 100 gigs in front of audiences with as little as two people and at most 100.

“I have seen musical culture very null… but here is a superlative talent,” said Kyrr, who has been teaching for 18 years at West Kendall’s Studio of the Vocal Arts and more than 40 years total. “She is capable of bringing the folk motif into a high art form and her humble personality has so much to offer.”

Littwin has been compared vocally and stylistically to Julie Andrews and Joni Mitchell, by different audiences and family members, depending on what generation they are from, according to Littwin.

“Her fundamental sound technique ranges from low to high to medium,” Kyrr said. “When she wants to hit that high note, she can, and the integration of using the guitar becomes a unit with her voice.”

Free writing is her morning ritual, which means she plays around with ideas to write songs. Littwin wants the lyrics she writes to mimic the diverse range of her voice. “A lot of my songs are autobiographies on an emotional level, but a lot have truths for other people,” she said. “I enter a dreamland and coast along with their emotion.”

One song, for example, is about the last chief of the Crow Indians, Plenty Coups. She wrote the lyrics after reading his biography.

“Her images are so original,” Kyrr said. “It is so easy to form a spoon with moon rhyme, but she has such an imagination.”

Another autobiographical song Littwin wrote is titled The Same Nowhere. The words are based on the daily frustrations she has experienced in her musical career, but the song reaches out to anyone willing to do anything to achieve a goal. It was obvious these lyrics were meaningful to her because the feeling that accompanied her voice was vivid.

But her stepfather and manager is not surprised by the power of her voice.

“I have known Hope since she was 4 years old and I knew then what she was capable of now,” said Nestor Bordon.

But Littwin’s artistic talent is what she calls a blessing and a responsibility.

Now that her style has improved with vocal and guitar lessons, she has begun focusing on how to connect with the audience.

“I have got the audience in the palm of my hands and I know they want to be moved,” she said. “I feel I have to impact their lives.”

Littwin plans to move to Chicago in about three months, because she thinks there is more opportunity lurking.

“They have a musical acoustic scene that is a good place to blossom,” she said. But she will be missed.

Alexis Sanfeld, owner of the Luna Star Café in North Miami, where Littwin performed weekly, said she has been well received by the crowds who have listened to her at the café.

“An audience for live music is very difficult to find down here,” Sanfeld said. “She has the most amazing voice and is a wonderful performer so she will do great in Chicago.”

To listen to Hope Littwin or read her lyrics, visit www.hopelittwin.com.

- The Miami Herald

March 25 - 31, 2005. Vol. 26 - No. 12

Fine Arts

American Express and ArtServe kick-off the third season of the ArtsEXPRESS Performing Arts Entertainment Series on April 5, 2005, at the Broward County Main Library Auditorium. Join 2004 Ridenour Production’s Expressions of Music Singer/Songwriter Competition finalists Hope Littwin and Kim Drake as they drive us into the new season! Beat the rush hour traffic while enjoying complimentary wine and cheese from Wild Oats Natural Market Place at 5:00 p.m. and the free performance at 5:30 p.m.

Only 17 years old and a recent high school graduate, Hope Littwin has quickly acquired a reputation as quite a young talent. Littwin attended New World School of the Arts. Her music is deep and sensitive, mature well beyond her years, and her voice has been called ‘divine’ and ‘angelic’.

Drake, a singer and songwriter that fuses rock rhythms, acoustic melodies and poetic lyrics to surround her beautiful voice, is trying to change the image of a typical singer/songwriter with a more aggressive rock approach. Drake was named Best Unsigned Female Vocalist of the year 2003 by the Big Time Talent Awards Show and has started her own record label, Poppy Records.

ArtsExpress is a monthly performing arts series presented by ArtServe & American Express that features a delicious sample to what Fort Lauderdale’s performing artists have to offer. Members of ArtServe will entertain the 1st Tuesday of every month from April to December following each performance, be sure to visit the ArtServe Gallery and Gift shop on the second floor.

ArtServe is headquartered in the Fort Lauderdale branch library at 1350 East Sunrise Boulevard where it also managesa multi-purpose auditorium, an art gallery, a dance studio, and a business center and an array of programs that support local artists and cultural groups. ArtServe’s Gallery and Gift Shop is located on the second floor of the Broward County Main Library, in downtown Fort Lauderdale, where member works are displayed for sale.

For more information contact (954) 462-8190 or visit www.artserve.org.


- South Florida's Entertainment News & Views: Fine Arts

(BR. Societey Broward)(Excerpt)

Monday, September 6, 2004

Hundreds of people attended Ridenour Productions Expressions of Music Singer Sonwriter Competition and Gallery Exhibit at ArtServe on August 6. The five finalists - Peter Betan, Kim Drake, Hope LIttwin, Bettis Richardson and Spanky Urquhart - performed original tunes, ranging from folk to pop to R & B. Judges wwere Mark Hornsby, president of Ridenour Productions, Kevin Fabricant, entertainment attorney, and Dan Sweeney, associate editor and music columnist for City Link Magazine.

When all the votes were tallied, 17-year-old Hope Littwin came out as the winner. In June of this year, Littwin graduated from high shool so that she could devote herself full-time to a career in music. Littwin was awarded a prize package including two songs fully produced at Ridenour Productions, a one-year membership to ArtServe, and a one-year membership to Online Gigs. - South Florida Sun Sentinel

Novemeber 16, 2004 Release

Actor Mariano Picos Pelegri & Singer Hope Littwin to Perform at AI Event
International Stop Violence against Women Day
Presented by: The Miami Chapter of Amnesty International
When: Friday, November 19, 2004, 7:00 - 8:00 P.M.

Where: Books & Books, 933 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, FL

Media Contact: Michael Kerrigan - Phone: 305-479-3169, mike@michaeldkerrigan.com

Actor Mariano Picos Pelegri will perform selected monologues from The Vagina Monologues. Mariano, an actor who began his career in Argentina, has appeared in the films, Dreams and Testimonios.

Poet/musician – singer/songwriter Hope Littwin will accompany herself on acoustic guitar while entertaining attendees with one of her own compositions. In September, at the age of seventeen, Hope released her first CD; a compilation of eleven original songs.

Recently, Amnesty International extended the campaign to bring violence against women to an end, to six years, and November 25, 2004 has been declared, International Stop Violence against Women Day.

November 25th being Thanksgiving Day, the Miami chapter of Amnesty International has planned a pre-International Day event that will be held at Books & Books in Miami Beach. It will take the form of a speakers’ forum through which the public will learn about the various ways in which violence is perpetrated against women, and what they can do to help bring about its cessation.

Featured Speakers:

Donna K. Coker is a professor of law at the University of Miami, where she teaches family law and substantive criminal law and conducts seminars on domestic violence, race, gender, crime, and the criminal justice system.

Nationally known for her expertise on domestic violence, Professor Coker often serves as a criminal law consultant; particularly in domestic homicide cases, and in family law cases with regard to custody litigation when spousal abuse has been alleged.

Maria Jose T. Fletcher has been a supervising attorney at the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center (FIAC) and is the director of Lucha, a women’s legal project, since June 2000. She is actively involved in local, state, and national domestic violence and victim’s rights organizations.

Ms. Fletcher currently represents trafficked women and children whose testimony before the US Congress was instrumental in the passage of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000. She also lectures at conferences, seminars, and workshops that are held by the US Department of State, the US Department of Justice, and non-governmental organizations to address the needs of survivors of trafficking.

Established in 1961, Amnesty International is a worldwide human rights organization that continually campaigns against torture and the death penalty, as well as for the release of prisoners of conscience. It condemns human rights abuses wherever they may occur.




- Amnesty International USA, Miami Chapter

Local Venue and Musician Brighten Up Thursday Night

(a Robiree Industries Review by Robin and Desiree appearing on
MySpace.com)

Performance: May 12, 2005
Reviewed: May 12, 2005

(Excerpts)

Picture this: a small venue with a coffeehouse-esque feel to it; think Starbucks' younger sibling but without the incessant scent of coffee. As a matter of fact, replace the thick aroma of Arabian Mocha Java with the clinking of glasses filled with imported ale. Visualize yellow walls adorned with artwork of various shapes, sizes and themes and try to imagine what would happen if Jewel, Alanis Morrisette, Norah Jones, Lisa Loeb, and John Mayer had a musical love child.

If that image wasn't as pretty in your head as it was in mine, then you didn't followe those directions properly. You should have mentally created the Luna Star Cafe and its entertainment for the evening: Hope Littwin.

Luna Star is a cool little joint located at 775 NE 125th Street in North Miami. They serve food, ale, lager and a wide variety of specialty beers. They even thank Beer Advocate on their menu. If you're looking to try something different; tell them what you like and they'll suggest something new. Just be sure to remember, Luna Star only takes cash and checks.

Both a singer and guitarist, Littwin has written 60 original songs including "If You Give a Boy a Step," "Imaginary Lovers" and "Love Me like a Masterpiece." Her pieces cover a broad range of subjects, from love to Plato to eating disorders. The multitalented songstress, who once struggled with anorexia, delves into her personal battle in "Anna."

"It was so stupid," says Littwin of the whole ordeal. "But I got my guitar so it's okay now."

Finding solace in her music, she creates a melody of soulful, touching and honest songs that are far different from much of the mainstream music of today. She performed the first four songs of her 20 song set by herself, before enlisted the assistance of a bass player named Mitch. Together, they played a surplus of folksy melodies that kept the whole crowd pleased.

"I've got a book of old folk songs," said Littwin. "Best thing about them is that there's no copyrights, so you can play them whenever you want."

"The Pleasures of Love" is an old folk song sung partly in French that Littwin describes as a "sappy love song." "Plenty Coup" ("Coup" meaning "many achievements" in French), is a historical ballad about a 19 year-old Indian Chief.

She credits artists like Joan Baez, Phil Collins (for his tuning technique), and Sting (she performed his "Fields of Gold.")

"Sting has a perfect balance of folk and pop because he's not a musical whore," commented the outspoken singer.

The five dollar cover charge implemented by the cafe went to Littwin to help her after her upcoming move to Chicago in two months.

So if you can tear yourself away from your media hyped, electronically enhanced pop chart topper of the week long enough, you should check this girl out.

"She's definitely going to make it," said fan, Teresa Solotoff.

""Don't forget us when you're famous," joked one of the owners of Luna Star.


- Robiree Industries - MySpace.com

Well I could take the easy road, say "Joni Mitchell for the 21st century",
switch on the Sly telebox and wallow in endless reruns of the Gilmore Girls
(on Hallmark and Discovery!, but how much do I hate Dean in the latest series),
but you and Hope deserve more.

For Hope Littwin is one of the best new singers I have heard in years.
Jo McCafferty has finally got a serious rival for my affections. New York born,
Miami based, Hope has a truly phenomenal voice, soaring, swooping and
caressing her way through some interesting self penned songs.

Granted, in places, she is still in thrall to her influences but that's
perfectly accepatable when you realise, scarily, that's she's only 18 years old!
SOme of the songs could also do with tighter arrangements, but these are minor quibbles.

To be honest, if enough people hear her voice, then swathes of seasoned professionals
will be packing up their acoustic guitars and retraining at Macdonalds University.
She's that good. I'm not one for grandstanding comments, but I'll stake what passes
for a reputation on Hopes talent.

Lyrically, there's work to be done, as we dip into standard coffee house sixth form
fare, but when an old cynic like me gets chills up my decaying spine, then there's
something very special at work.

Of course the danger is, some record exec wanders in, rubs off the rough edges,
and loses the magic, but the magic is definitely there.


from: http://www.zeitgeist-scot.co.uk/

- from: http://www.zeitgeist-scot.co.uk/

Man, I wish I could sing like HOPE LITTWIN. She has such an ear pleasing voice,
even to me who doesn't necessarily enjoy female vocals in music!

Her voice is operatic in sound (as heard in her track "Never Born"),
but isn't over killed by ear piercing screeches (ALA Mariah Carey),
and it accompanies the acoustic guitar very well. Her music is exclusively
acoustic guitar based - nice for some coffee shop or bookstore venues -
but her music won't bore you to tears like other folksy acoustic artists.

If you could cross Tracy Champman with Sarah McLauchlin you'd come
pretty close to what Hope Littwin has to offer.

Wednesday Elektra - Space Junkies Magazine
- Wednesday Elektra - Space Junkies Magazine