Iva Bittová: phenomenal violinist, singer and composer whose music transcends borders

Iva Bittová is a phenomenon in the world of music – not only in the Czech Republic from where she hails but on a global scale. Her art stretches across many genres, including jazz, rock, classical music and opera.

The avant-garde violinist, singer and composer, who has Czech, Romani and Hungarian roots, has developed a music style of her own, blending the music of many cultures and drawing deeply on her emotions and the sounds of nature. Her vocal utterances range from traditional singing to chirping, moaning, yelps and deep throat noises that keep audiences mesmerized.

Her style is not easily defined but perhaps one of the most accurate comments made about her is that she brings the human voice back to the natural world in a way that transcends barriers and touches audiences the world over. As the singer herself put it: "Natural singing gives voice to our soul".

Iva Bittova & Miroslav Donutil "Zabili, zabili"

A star on the Czech alternative music scene, she quickly gained recognition abroad giving performances the world over. The range of her activities is remarkable - from her own interpretations of folk songs through experimental jazz, rock to classical music and opera singing. In 2004, she performed at New York's Carnegie Hall in the role of Elvira in Mozart's opera Don Giovanni. This collaboration was followed by several concerts with the local Bang On A Can All Stars, which culminated in the release of the album Elida.

In 2020 she received American citizenship and decided to relocate her personal and professional life to the United States.

She has released three dozen music CDs and has received numerous domestic and foreign awards for her musical achievements. In 2023 she received a medal for services to diplomacy from the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Iva Bittová na letní filmové škole