Sarasa Ensemble Outreach Concerts

Dedicated to making music accessible to wider audiences

Many teenagers, in trouble with the law, have never been exposed to anything but a popular culture that is sending very toxic messages to our youth. They deserve better.

Sarasa's unique outreach to incarcerated youth through our performances and residencies work to bring another view of the world to these teens. We help them see that there is more to life than they have been shown and far more beauty.

Life with genuine art can be both uplifting and enriching. We see time and again that these children are attuned to appreciating fine culture, and in many cases are starved for it without realizing the fact.

Many of these teenagers are hearing classical music for the first time; some are enraptured by it. And for some it is a step toward understanding that there is a better way to live, and that they might change their lives.

With your assistance, we try to help them with that first step. So, happily, our outreach program with juvenile offenders continues to blossom.

Sarasa was founded with the specific purpose of playing classical music for people who ordinarily do not have the opportunity to hear live performances, and make the music of composers like Bach, Haydn or Schubert speak to audiences for who are unfamiliar with it. List of outreach concerts performed.

Sarasa is a collection of forty musicians who form ensembles to play in venues as diverse as:

• Hospitals
• Inner city schools
• Homeless shelters
• Elderly peoples' homes
• Correctional facilities for adults and youths
• Mental health institutions

The Outreach Concert Experience

In many contexts, Sarasa encourages interaction with the audience, communicating about the instruments and the music. Often in a program, the audience reciprocates with a performance of their own.

The effect of these concerts is not just one way. Sarasa musicians derive much inspiration and pleasure from their interaction with people whose lives can be enriched by the music.

Please help Sarasa continue these outreach concerts!

Outreach Concerts Given

(last updated March 15, 2008)

2008

• Westboro Secure Treatment, (lock up facility for teenage boys) Westboro, MA (three-visit residency in February)
• Rotenberg School, (lock-up facility for girls) Westboro, MA (February)
• Pelletier Center (facility for delinquent girls), Westboro, MA (February)

2007

• Metro Pretrial Detention (lock up facility for teenage boys) Dorchester MA (November)
• Elliot Boys Detention (lock up facility for teenage boys) Dorchester MA (November)
• Spectrum Girls Detention and Spectrum Girls Treatment (teenage delinquent lockups), Dorchester MA (three-visit residency with combined units in November)
• Somerville Transition Shelter (two visits in teenage male delinquent lockup), Somerville MA (Octover)
• Worcester Secure, (lock up facility for teenage boys) Westboro, MA (three-visit residency in October)
• Robert Kennedy School, (lock up facility for teenage boys) Westboro, MA (three-visit residency in May)
• Spectrum Boys Program (teenage delinquent lockup), Dorchester MA (May)
• Metro Assessment Unit, (teenage male delinquent lock up) Dorchester MA (May)
• Spectrum Girls Program (teenage delinquent lockup), Dorchester MA (February)

Outreach Concert Audience Comments

Read what audience members at Sarasa's outreach concerts have to say...

• Letters from the Northeastern Family Institute (Dorchester, MA)
• Letters from the Worcester Secure Boys Unit (Westboro, MA)
• Letters from the RFK School (Westboro, MA)
• Letters from RFK School residents (Westboro, MA)
• Letters from Worcester Secure Boys Unit residents (Westboro, MA)
• Letters from Northeastern Family Institute residents (Dorchester, MA)
• Letters from Westboro Reception Unit residents and director
• Letter from director of Spectrum Girls Program (teenage delinquent lockup), Dorchester MA
• Letters from Northeastern Family Institute (Dorchester, MA)
• Letters from the Brighton Treatment Center (Brighton, MA)
• Letters from the Somerville Transition Shelter (Somerville, MA)
• Letters from the Northeastern Family Institute (Roxbury, MA)
• Letter from Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility
• Letters from Inner City Horizons

Genesis of an Idea

The idea of doing outreach concerts was conceived by Director Timothy Merton in 1996 after he performed at a Sing Sing Correctional Facility with pianist Marcia Eckert.

Timothy explains, "It was an amazing experience for us both, not only because the inmates were extremely grateful that we made the effort to come and play for them, but that the classical music we played spoke to them in a way I never thought possible.

For many of the inmates, it was the first time that they had heard this kind of music. Some of their comments were "it takes you inside", "it reminds me of being in the country", and "it's like meditating". We found the music had a very positive, inspiring and calming effect on the inmates."

Sarasa musicians Alison D'Amato, Krista River, Timothy Merton, and Ryan Turner following an outreach concert.

Sarasa contact info
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