Photo by Marc-Olivier Jodoin on Unsplash
Imagine the power of world-class musicians bringing classical music into spaces where hope and beauty are often distant memories. In this episode, I recount my moving experience attending a concert inside a prison, organized by the Looking at the Stars Foundation. As the music filled the room, it created a profound sense of connection and transformation among a truly unique audience. Hear how music’s universal language can restore dignity, inspire introspection, and lift hearts – even behind prison walls.
I’m Mindy Peterson, host of Enhance Life with Music podcast, where we explore the ways music makes our lives better. And this is Microhance, a micro-dose of musical enhancement.
I recently had a truly extraordinary and moving experience attending a classical music concert in a first-time-for-me setting – inside a prison. This concert was organized by the Looking at the Stars Foundation, a Canadian organization dedicated to bringing live classical music to people who may otherwise never experience it – prison residents, refugees, and war victims. Their vision is to gift world-class music to those who need it most and expect it least – and to restore dignity and hope where it was lost. Their recent performances in Minnesota were part of the Foundation’s very first tour in the US.
I connected with this event through my role at Schmitt Music. We are the local Steinway dealer and were a sponsor of this concert series in Minnesota prisons by providing the 7′ Steinway B piano, an integral part of this top caliber concert. Three musicians (a pianist, violinist, and cellist) traveled from Canada and are world-class performers.
Any performance by this group of talented musicians on one-of-a-kind instruments would be impactful. But to hear this powerful expression of beauty, mixed emotions, and shared human connection – juxtaposed over a stark environment and sitting with my unlikely fellow audience members – was truly a moving and unforgettable experience. As the music began to fill the room, the atmosphere transformed. The musicians’ skill and passion were palpable; they created a sense of beauty, dignity, and inspiration in the space. It was as if the music lifted everyone in the room to a place beyond walls and restrictions – a place of freedom and hope.
In this atmosphere of respect and introspection, a question-and-answer time allowed for interaction between performers and audience members, supporting another of the Foundation’s goals of elevating passive consumption to interactive engagement. Again, it was truly moving to hear the questions, comments, and reflections of this audience, some of whom were experiencing a live concert for the first time.
As you can probably tell, I experienced so many emotions, including awe. I was reminded of music’s ability to connect and heal across all walks of life, even in (or especially in) places marked by loss and struggle. The experience made me realize that music, in all its beauty, is one of our most humanizing and universal gifts. It was a powerful reminder that music isn’t just entertainment. In the right context, it can be an act of compassion, of empathy, and of hope.
I encourage you to check out the Looking at the Stars Foundation if you’d like to learn more about their work or support their mission. There are also links in the show notes to news coverage of the event, including a short YouTube video that gives a window into the experience; a photo of me with the musicians rehearsing earlier in the week at Schmitt Music; and links to previous Enhance Life with Music episodes with other organizations bringing music to prison environments.
If you’ve had an experience of music restoring dignity and hope where it was lost, I would love to hear about it.
You can always connect with me on email (mindy@mpetersonmusic.com), Facebook, Instagram, X, or LinkedIn.
I’m Mindy Peterson, and I hope this inspires you to enhance your life with music.
Connect/Other Resources
- Star Tribune article: Stillwater prison seeks to soothe inmates with classical music
- Pioneer Press article: ‘This crowd was amazing’: Trio plays classical concert for appreciative Stillwater Prison inmates
Related episodes you may enjoy:
- Ep. 156: Voices of Hope: The Intersection of music and justice; With Amanda Weber, DMA
- Ep. 84: Music’s redemptive & restorative power in prison environments, with Arts Capacity founder Holly Mulcahy
- Ep. 129: How socially conscious musicians are bridging divides and healing the wounds of war; with Musicians Without Borders’ Laura Hassler
- Ep. 123: Transcending divisions and conflict through song, with The Jerusalem Youth Chorus’ Micah Hendler
- Ep. 14: The Healing Power of Music for Child Soldiers and Refugees: with Hollywood Music in Media Awards Nominee Samite Mulondo
- View all Microhance episodes
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