An Audio Tour of Beatrice Witkin's Life and Legacy in New York City's Upper West Side

Megan Hattie Stahl is a media artist and educator producing place-based documentary audio projects that incorporate archives, oral histories, social practice, psychogeography & music theory.

Her latest project is an audio tour that explores and extends the life and work of composer Beatrice Witkin (1916-1990).

The experience includes guided narration, archival music, interviews and recordings of contemporary musicians, inviting listeners to consider Witkin's experience navigating the 20th century worlds of both “serious” and commercial music while balancing marriage and motherhood. Experience the full tour here.

What was your inspiration behind creating this audio tour?

Megan: I first learned about composer Beatrice Witkin (1916-1990) while doing research for a graduate school project in 2022. According to her Wikipedia page, not only had she attended Hunter College, where I was studying at the time, but she had a prolific 50+ year career in a wide range of musical styles. What began as a smaller audio walk for one class expanded into “Serious Music” which was also my MFA thesis project.

I was intrigued by the challenge of activating and (re)animating Bea’s spirit and archive in collaboration with her son Steve, stretching her music and story across the landscape of her longtime Upper West Side neighborhood. I love the audio walk as a medium which allows walker-listeners the chance to have an embodied experience in the present while absorbing site-specific information and emotions from the past. I take inspiration from other NYC audio walks by Janet Cardiff (“Her Long Black Hair” in Central Park) and Gelsey Bell (“Cairns” at Green-Wood Cemetery).

What can people expect to hear as they walk your route?

Megan: They’ll hear music composed and performed by Beatrice Witkin in a variety of genres ranging including a brass quintet, a Scott Joplin cover on synthesizer, Jewish cantillations for string quartet, and experimental electronic improvisations. I narrate the walk— which begins at Riverside Park and ends at Straus Park— while also weaving in excerpts from interviews with Bea’s son and grandson. Between stationary stops, walker-listeners will “overhear” practice sessions by non-string instrumentalists sightreading a 1985 string quartet piece by Bea. Broadly, the story examines this composer’s lifelong efforts to navigate the worlds of both “serious” and commercial music, all while balancing marriage and motherhood.

Watch the trailer below.

What do you hope listeners will take away from your work?

Megan: I hope they leave curious to learn more about Bea Witkin and the experience of other 20th century women composers in New York City and beyond. I also hope the project helps them build or renew their connection to the neighborhood and awaken an interest in the potential of archival, place-based musical documentaries.

What advice do you have for other creators who are interested in creating site-specific audio experiences?

Megan: Start by spending a lot of time in the place you’re hoping to host your experience. Get to know it really well and make it personal and surprising which is in conversation with the surroundings. On the practical side, I recommend doing beta testing with a variety of supportive volunteers with a range of walking paces and tech experience!

What else would you like listeners to know about your project and how can people support your work?

Megan: The walk is accessible for wheelchair users and transcripts are available for each segment. If you aren’t in NYC but you know a New Yorker who may be interested in the project, feel free to gift the experience to them by entering their email address at checkout.

To learn more about my work or get in touch, visit MeganHattieStahl.com or follow me on Instagram at @megan__hattie. I’m always up for connecting around music history, synthesizers, archives and collaboration!

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