2008
Song Without Borders was founded in 2008 to explore and celebrate the transformative power of song. Initial emphasis was on intuitive song as an inspirational medium. Founded by Michael Stillwater, an American songwriter, educator and intuitive musician living in Switzerland.
Sing It Forward program was designed to give people an opportunity to contribute the transformative musical experience of The Honoring, an intuitive musical ceremony, to others by sponsoring events in other places. Companion Arts, a nonprofit educational agency founded by Michael Stillwater and Gary Malkin, served as the initial umbrella for this program.
With seed funding from Ursula Lamberson, The Honoring: Songs of Healing, Empowerment and Awakening CD, a collection of intuitive healing songs by Michael Stillwater, was produced by Michael and Doris Laesser Stillwater together with Leme Lehmann at Powerplay Studios in Maur, Switzerland. Singer Holly Croydon added harmony vocals.
2009
SongSourcing TrackPack One was published as a resource to support people awakening their own inner songmaker. Filming began on In Search of The Great Song, a film series exploring and celebrating the transformative power of song.2010 and 2011
Filming continued on the series; Shining Night was developed from a single interview into a feature-length film. Fiscal stewardship of Song Without Borders transferred from Companion Arts to Living Bridges of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
2012
Shining Night: A Portrait of Composer Morten Lauridsen, premiered in Palm Springs at the American Documentary Film Festival. Premiers took place in festivals, cinemas and choral events across America and Europe.
2013
Screening of Shining Night continues in America and Europe; first public television broadcast of the film in May on KCET Public Television, Los Angeles, CA. Production on Where Water Meets Fire: Emaho’s Dance at the Edge of the World, a film about a Native American shaman, was cancelled before completion. Other ‘In Search of The Great Song‘ projects in early development: Keepers of the Song, Songmakers: It’s In Everyone Of Us, and In the Beginning Was The Song.
An internet-based series of short films on the Great Song is in early development, as well as a healthcare-focused music/image film series to support relaxation for patients undergoing chemotherapy.
2014 and 2015
Screening of Shining Night continues in America and Europe. Feature-length documetary in final production phase, In Search of the Great Song. Preview screenings on West Coast US, Europe and at Parliament of World’s Religions in Salt Lake City, USA (October, 2015).
2016
In Search of the Great Song completed in March; film entered in a dozen film festivals. World Premiere in Victoria, BC, Canada, on April 17; European premiere on May 22 in Vienna, Austria. German language version being considered; screening interest from people around the world.
Early preparations for the next film project, SongRise: Beyond the Fear of Singing, using existing footage made since beginning the project in 2009, together with new footage. Crowd-funding campaign likely to raise completion funds.