Outreach News
Thanks to generous grants we received from the Boston Cultural Council, the McKenzie Family Charitable Trust, the Otto and Marianne Wolman Foundation, and a special individual, Sarasa resumed our summer residencies at teenage detention centers for the first time since the pandemic! In July and August, we visited three teen facilities in Dorchester, Westborough and Middleton, MA. Originally, we intended to visit a teen girls' facility in Grafton, MA, but there was a Covid outbreak, so we had to scramble and make a last-minute change to Dorchester. Each outreach residency consists of 3 visits for two hours each over a week with Sarasa musicians Kristen Watson, soprano, Krista River, mezzo-soprano, Timothy Merton, cello, and Daniel Padgett, keyboard.
As always, the success of an outreach session depends on the willingness of the staff and director at the given facility. At the Kennedy School in Middleton, Director Emily Daniels stood out especially with her encouragement and warmth. Even though there was a large number of incarcerated youth when we visited, there was 100% participation from each teen. They got so excited at certain points, Sarasa had to segue to a quieter activity! From interest in our classical music to involving them with group singing, to hearing and working with them in their own rap and freestyle, it made for an inspiring week with these incredibly talented but marginalized youth.
At Dorchester's Suffolk Detention there was one resident, who, due to “bad behavior,” had to stay in his locked room, but he really wanted to sing with the rest of the group, so one of the other teens held up the music to the window of his door, so he could sing along. He was full of energy and very eager to be a part of this music-making.
At another residency at Worcester Secure in Westborough, MA, one of the teens really wanted to sing “Hit the Road, Jack.” Not a typical request, but we made it happen!
Here it is:
