A lifelong educator and adventurer, Elsa delights with her stories and amazes with her experiences, while creating music and musicians - all at the same time!

BOOKS PUBLISHED:

ELSA VAN DER BYL:

• Immigration: From Lowveld to Lowcountry Indie Publisher 2025 - A South African Teacher's Story of Travel, Adventure, and Immigration
• KDP Amazon Paperback, Kindle

• Review by Carolyn Newton, author and historian:

  In From Lowveld to Lowcountry, Elsa van der Byl tells an immigrant’s tale, a story of a brave woman, dedicated educator, and talented musician who left a whole life in South Africa to start anew in the U.S. Through engaging prose and vivid recollections—some frightening, some adventurous, and some amusing—she takes us along on her spunky and resilient journey. From a crash course in quirky Americanisms to finding her way to a new home with cherished friends and clever colleagues, van der Byl teaches us about the trials and tribulations of starting over in a new land. A powerful and timely story from a gifted writer.

  Review by Kristi Dosh, author and journalist:
  From rural South Africa to the coastal Lowcountry of South Carolina, From Lowveld to Lowcountry follows Elsa van der Byl’s inspiring path to reinvention. By immersing herself in American culture and traveling extensively, she tells a story that blends humor, courage, and the joy of finding home in an unexpected place.

  Review by Dana Van Hook, Educator and School Administrator:

  Elsa Van der Byl’s From Lowveld to Lowcountry is the fascinating journey of an immigrant who embraces her new life in South Carolina with both frankness and humor. Becoming an American is a process, and Elsa’s narrative clearly illustrates the hard work and the rewards of adapting to a new culture while continuing to cherish her South African origins. This story celebrates with both joy and gravity the importance of honoring all aspects of the journey.

  

• Hippos, Hotspots, and Homelands MalanMedia  2021 
  

• KDP Amazon Paperback, Kindle
• Review by Amanda Turner, (New York Times best-selling author) .“Elsa is a captivating storyteller who turns her readers into invisible companions, drawing them into a gripping world of adventure, challenges, and extraordinary experiences.”

PIET wat POMPIES was MalanMedia 2018

• Review by Pieter-Dirk Uys: (Internationally known South African satirist and playwright.) "He was always really funny. He was my first stand-up comedian, and I greatly miss him." (translated from Afrikaans)
• Summary:
• Available by contacting Johan van der Byl at jjvdbyl@gmail.com

ELSA DIXON:

• Teorie vir Beginners/Theory for Beginners Perskor 1987

• Recorder for Beginners  Perskor 1988

• Blokfluit vir Beginners Perskor 1987