From SICA-USA Chair Hamilton Cheifetz:

November 20, 2019:  Four Portland State University students and I played for 90 women inmates at Coffee Creek tonight. Bach, Haydn and Mendelssohn. I am grateful to Lauren Grant, John Hongel, Keely McMurry and Ben Batten for their expressive playing and to Open Hearts Open Minds for making the arrangements for our visit. It was an amazing evening, and the women evidently loved the music. They asked questions afterward, and one of them asked “Are there background stories for the pieces? I saw things and imagined characters”. So I said “You got it. Those are the background stories, which are different for everyone. These pieces are wordless stories”. It was very moving.

December 5, 2019:  Feeling proud of my students today after we played at Columbia River Correctional Institution for 50 inmates. I played Bach and Cassado, and then two quartets from Portland State University performed Borodin and Mendelssohn. The performance was followed by a conversation with the men, many of whom spoke movingly about the uplifting and transformational experience of hearing the music. One of the men recited his poem “No Matter What Happens”, which was very powerful, and then we were treated to a great rap by another inmate. The afternoon ended with Amy Håkansson providing a funky violin foundation to accompany another rap. John Hongel also played fiddle, improvising during the rap. My thanks to Lauren Grant, Amanda Smith, Keely McMurry, Isaiah Zacharia, Jonah Thomas and Ben Batten for their fine work and generous spirit this afternoon. Many thanks also to Open Hearts Open Minds, Deborah Buchanan, Carla Grant and Johnny Stallings for facilitating an unforgettable day.