“For the dead and the living, we must bear witness.” Elie Wiesel

Vermont musician, Holocaust survivor featured in PBS’ ‘Songs of Survivors’ documentary. Tuesday, April 26 on PBS nationwide.

Brent Hallenbeck

Burlington Free Press

A singer-songwriter from Vermont spoke with a Holocaust survivor and then wrote songs about her experiences for a documentary to be broadcast nationwide on PBS starting at 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 26.

Veitch and fellow musicians Elizabeth Clark, Kelleigh McKenzie and Jude Roberts were each hired by the community arts organization SageArts in the Hudson Valley of New York. They visited local Holocaust survivors to create original songs based on their conversations.

Vermont musician Michael Veitch and Rita Schwartz, a Holocaust survivor Veitch talked with to write songs included in the PBS show We Remember: Songs of Survivors

The film documents the relationships that developed as the songwriting process evolved over several months. The sessions culminated in a live concert celebrating the survivors and the songwriters.

In the news release, Veitch, an alumnus of Bellows Falls Union High School, said he was touched permanently by the experience.

“Working with Rita was a life changing experience for me,” according to Veitch, “and I know every artist in this project received a similar gift songwriting with their Holocaust survivor.”

Vermont musician Michael Veitch, left, is among singer-songwriters who worked with Holocaust survivors for the PBS production "We Remember: Songs of Survivors."
Vermont musician Michael Veitch, left, is among singer-songwriters who worked with Holocaust survivors for the PBS production We Remember: Songs of Survivors.

Contact Brent Hallenbeck at [email protected]. Follow Brent on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BrentHallenbeck.

From the Burlington Free Press

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