Elisabeth Hilltout
Since 2008 she has been the: full-time manager, mentor, vocal coach, online Admin, promoter, marketer, PR agent, video director and producer, vocal and record producer for her oldest daughter The Commander In Chief (Berit).
2 of her music videos have gone viral: "Zigeunerweisen, Op.20," and "Paganini Caprice. 24." They were featured on "Top 10 Viral Videos of The Year" in 2013 and 2014 in the biggest guitar magazine in the world Guitar World.
"Zigeunerweisen, Op.20" has been featured on TV channels in several countries, and in a movie.
She has produced two critically acclaimed albums for her daughter: "Berit, Vol.1" (2018) and "Berit,Vol2" (2019). With reviewers hailing "Berit,Vol.1" as a "masterpiece," and a "must-have."
"Berit,Vol.1" hit the iTunes bestseller charts in Sweden.
Elisabeth has been the only vocal coach for The Commander In Chief, who has been a vocal coach and an expert judge on Norway's biggest TV Show "Battle of The Stars" with almost a million viewers.
Elisabeth has extensive experience as a concert singer with the coloratura soprano repertoire:
both arias for The Queen of The Night (The Magic Flute)
all arias for Konstanze (Abduction From The Seraglio)
all arias for Lucia (Lucia di Lammermoor)
The Bell Song from Lakmé
The Doll Aria from Tales of Hoffmann
sacred arias from Bach and Mozart
Elisabeth studied old-school Bel Canto singing with the award winning Italian soprano Aida Meneghelli, who had the same singing teacher as Maria Callas, Elvira De Hidalgo.
She had lessons with Meneghelli 6 days a week for many years, in Verona, Italy.
Elisabeth studied economics at The Norwegian School of Economics, MBA Programme.
She studied music management at Columbia College in Chicago.
Immediately after high school she was hired by the biggest bank in Norway, where she worked on a nationwide marketing campaign.
She studied marketing, economics, and contract law in high school.
Her fondest childhood memories are from performing together with her dad, when she visited him every other month from she was 10 to 13 years old. He was the first one to discover her incredible talent and voice.
From she was 8 until she was 16 she experienced the true hell of living with an alcoholic abusive stepfather who did his best to break her down, while living in dire poverty without an indoor bathroom for 5 of the years. She suffered mental, emotional, and verbal abuse on a daily basis. During those years she became determined to take herself out of that misery and promised herself that if she ever had kids she would give them a completely opposite childhood to the one that she had.
She has a strong desire to inspire and help others who find themselves in similar situations.
Elisabeth is the proud mother of 4 children.
The Commander In Chief
7 string guitar virtuoso.
1st electrical guitarist to make a professional recording of "Zigeunerweisen" and "Introduction et Rondo Capriccioso."
Credited by Guitar World for putting "a completely new spin on classical-inspired guitar music."
Number 1 Amazon Bestseller with "2 Guitars: The Classical Crossover Album."
3 Bestselling albums, in 3 different genres, on 3 different platforms, in 26 countries.
20 music releases in total - full discography here.
10 successful crowdfunding campaigns, + 3 subscription services.
2 viral music videos on YouTube.
"1 of 10 Modern Guitar Gods" - Metal Hammer, UK.
Proud owner of the prototype Falchion 7 guitar.
Bel Canto trained Coloratura Soprano.
4 octave vocal range, going all the way up to C7.
Award nominated twice by Hollywood Music In Media Awards for her songwriting.
"The best way to describe her talent is unique, one of a kind, prodigy, virtuoso, the list goes on" - Rick Palin, Firebrand Radio
"To simply call Berit an artist is an understatement to what she actually does, the term Prodigy would be more applicable. When reviewing one always looks for flaws, but here are none" - Editor, WildSpiritzMusic
"Your song "Evolution" - there is a connection between the kind of virtuosity there and the kind of virtuosity we've heard from Handel and Mozart, too. That interval - "the devil in music" - It's the same thing Mozart was doing in the 18th century, which you are doing now." - Tom Service, BBC3
"The music this decade has long been waiting for! It is familiar, but it is different, it is daring, but most of all it is unique!" - Mike Mitchell, BCB106,6FM
"It's a sad fact that when you think of shred guitarists, the majority of them will be men. Enter The Commander-In-Chief, a seven-string-wielding uber-shredding female who's ready to melt faces and shatter stereotypes." - Total Guitar
"One of today's role-models for women in music" - NRK
2 Amazon Bestseller Books.
Responsible for restructuring The CIC brand. Increased revenue with almost 400% in 2020.
Full Discography
Albums
"2 Guitars: The Classical Crossover Album"
(Classical, 2014)