Singer/Songwriter Avi Wisnia On Getting Unstuck

UPDATE:

'How Saba Kept Singing' premieres  Tuesday, April 18th on PBS!
Details  on how to watch here: https://www.pbs.org/show/how-saba-kept-singing.

For our inaugural “interview” episode of Creative Space, we have the pleasure of speaking with singer/songwriter Avi Wisnia. He’s performed around the world in venues like The Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City and The Kennedy Center in D.C., playing alongside artists like The Roots and Ani DeFranco. He recently starred alongside his late grandfather, David Wisnia, in the documentary, 'How Saba Kept Singing,' which was executive produced by Hilary Rodham Clinton and Chelsea Clinton. It recounts how music and love helped David survive nearly three years in the German Nazi death camp, Auschwitz. 

While the documentary isn’t available on streaming services just yet, you can learn more about David’s story here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcc8xCZ35KI. 

Inspired by his grandfather’s example to use music as a vehicle to heal and bravely move forward, Avi just released his second full-length album, “Catching Leaves."

For more information on Avi, visit: aviwisnia.com.

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SHOW NOTES:

0:00—Introduction

1:00—How did we meet again?

2:18—Musical beginnings with actual chopsticks

4:38—The Jets, Debbie Gibson, and Ben Folds

6:57—We create from everything

7:57—Fighting insecurity as an artist

10:22—Where does creativity come from?

16:20—Avi’s songwriting process

21:51— “Catching” Inspiration

24:33—Grief and a 10-year musical break

28:30—How music saved his grandfather’s life in the Holocaust

31:00—Returning to Auschwitz to perform with his grandfather

32:51—Music as a vehicle to move forward from pain

34:06—“How Saba Kept Singing”