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JOY THROUGH MUSIC. PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS WITH SHELTER MUSIC BOSTON REGULARLY PERFORM FOR SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS IN OUR CITY. THAT’S TONIGHT’S FIVE FOR GOOD. WARMING UP WITH A BROAD SMILE THAT BRIGHTENS THE ROOM. ADRIENNE AND ANTOINE QUICKLY GETS SERIOUS ABOUT HIS MUSIC. THE PEACE AND JOY THAT BRINGS IS EVIDENT. ADRIENNE IS THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF SHELTER MUSIC BOSTON. ON THIS DAY, PERFORMING AT WOMEN’S LUNCH PLACE, A DAY SHELTER IN BACK BAY. WE REALLY WORK HARD TO HAVE A TRAUMA INFORMED SPACE, AND WHEN YOU BRING THE GIFT OF MUSIC INTO THAT SPACE, IT JUST ADDS ANOTHER ELEMENT OF, I THINK, DIGNITY AND JOY IN OUR SPACE. SHELTER MUSIC BOSTON OPERATES IN MORE THAN A DOZEN ADULT AND FAMILY SHELTERS ACROSS THE CITY. PAID PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS PERFORM REGULARLY, HOLDING MORE THAN 100 CONCERTS A YEAR. IT’S NOT TO SAY THAT A VOLUNTEER CAN’T DO THE SAME, BUT TO BE ABLE TO RESPECT A PROFESSIONAL’S TIME AND TO MAKE THAT SUSTAINABLE. THIS IDEA OF AN ARTIST WORKING FOR SOCIAL CHANGE IS SOMETHING I THINK, THAT WE NEED TO RESPECT AND PUT OUR RESOURCES BEHIND. THOSE MUSICIANS LIKE ADRIENNE ARE SUPREMELY TALENTED. YOU’VE PLAYED AT THE WHITE HOUSE FOR THE POPE, FOR THE DALAI LAMA, BUT YOU SAY THESE CONCERTS ARE SO IMPACTFUL. I’VE BEEN LUCKY TO HAVE A PERFORMING CAREER, BUT OFTENTIMES THE MOST MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES THAT I HAVE AS A MUSICIAN, BUT ALSO AS A HUMAN BEING, IS THE WORK THAT WE DO HERE AT SHELTER MUSIC BOSTON, PLAYING FOR PLACES LIKE HERE AT WOMEN’S LUNCH PLACE. THE IMPACT IS REAL. SURVEYS HELP TO ILLUSTRATE THAT WE HAVE DIFFERENT TYPES OF DATA THAT WE’RE NOW COLLECTING IN TERMS OF REDUCED ANXIETY. FOR THOSE WE’RE INTERACTING WITH, WITH SUBSTANCE USE RECOVERY. IT’S REALLY THINKING ABOUT HOW THE MUSIC AFFECTS THEM ALONG THEIR JOURNEY. FOR UNHOUSED CHILDREN, SHELTER MUSIC BOSTON UNDERSTANDS THAT JOURNEY IS DIFFERENT AT FAMILY SHELTERS, THE PROGRAM IS MORE PLAYFUL. ARMS UP. SO YOU’RE TOUCHING DOWN THE HALL. KIDS NEED TO MOVE. THEY NEED TO MAKE. SO ONE OF OUR, I THINK, SIGNATURE PROGRAMS AT THIS MOMENT IS ENGAGING KIDS WITH PUPPETRY. PUPPETRY IS AN AMAZING TOOL FOR EXPRESSION AND ALSO MAKES CONVERSATIONS WHERE TRAUMA OR CRUNCHY FEELINGS COME UP JUST A LITTLE BIT EASIER. WOMEN’S LUNCH PLAY CEO JENNIFER HANLON WIGAN AGREES MUSIC AND CREATION ARE IMPORTANT HEALING TOOLS FOR ALL AGES. WE HAVE A WOMEN’S CHORUS, WHICH IS WONDERFUL. WE DO HAVE OTHER MUSICAL GROUPS THAT COME IN AND PERFORM. THEY WORK AT BEING INVISIBLE. THEY HIDE ON THE STREETS, THEY ISOLATE AND OVERNIGHT SHELTERS. THEY ARE SO OFTEN DISCONNECTED FROM THE GREATER COMMUNITY THAT WE LIVE IN. SO TO HAVE A PROGRAM LIKE SHELTER MUSIC BOSTON COME IN AND SAY, WE SEE YOU, WE HEAR YOU, AND WE WANT YOU TO BE PART OF THIS BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE. IT’S REALLY MEANINGFUL. IT’S A DEEP CONNECTION. SHELTER MUSIC BOSTON WAS FOUNDED IN 2010. THERE ARE NOW MORE THAN 80 PROFESSIONAL MUSICIANS ON THEIR ROSTER. FIND M
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Organization brings classical music into city shelters
Professional musicians perform more than 100 concerts a year in more than a dozen Boston shelters
Adrian Anantawan is a professional violinist who has performed in venues around the world, including at the White House and for Pope John Paul II and the Dalai Lama.On a recent Thursday, he was performing with pianist Jennifer Hsiao at Women’s Lunch Place, a day shelter in Boston.”I’ve been lucky to have a performing career,” Anantawan said. “But oftentimes, the most meaningful experiences that I have as a musician, but also as a human being, is the work that we do here at Shelter Music Boston.”Founded in 2010, Shelter Music Boston musicians bring classical music to more than a dozen adult and family shelters across the city.Paid professional musicians, like Anantawan and Hsiao, perform regularly, holding more than 100 concerts a year.Anantawan is also Shelter Music Boston’s artistic director.”It’s not to say that a volunteer can’t do the same, but to be able to respect a professional’s time and to make that sustainable, this idea of an artist working for social change is something I think that we need to respect and put our resources behind,” Anantawan said.At family shelters, when playing for homeless children, he said the program is more playful.”Kids need to move, they need to make, so one of our signature programs at this moment is engaging kids with puppetry,” he said.At Women’s Lunch Place, CEO Jennifer Hanlon Wigon said the impact of the performances is significant.”We really work hard to have a trauma-informed space,” she said. “When you bring the gift of music into that space, it just adds another element of, I think, dignity and joy in our space.”Find more information about Shelter Music Boston here.
Adrian Anantawan is a professional violinist who has performed in venues around the world, including at the White House and for Pope John Paul II and the Dalai Lama.
On a recent Thursday, he was performing with pianist Jennifer Hsiao at Women’s Lunch Place, a day shelter in Boston.
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“I’ve been lucky to have a performing career,” Anantawan said. “But oftentimes, the most meaningful experiences that I have as a musician, but also as a human being, is the work that we do here at Shelter Music Boston.”
Founded in 2010, Shelter Music Boston musicians bring classical music to more than a dozen adult and family shelters across the city.
Paid professional musicians, like Anantawan and Hsiao, perform regularly, holding more than 100 concerts a year.
Anantawan is also Shelter Music Boston’s artistic director.
“It’s not to say that a volunteer can’t do the same, but to be able to respect a professional’s time and to make that sustainable, this idea of an artist working for social change is something I think that we need to respect and put our resources behind,” Anantawan said.
At family shelters, when playing for homeless children, he said the program is more playful.
“Kids need to move, they need to make, so one of our signature programs at this moment is engaging kids with puppetry,” he said.
At Women’s Lunch Place, CEO Jennifer Hanlon Wigon said the impact of the performances is significant.
“We really work hard to have a trauma-informed space,” she said. “When you bring the gift of music into that space, it just adds another element of, I think, dignity and joy in our space.”
Find more information about Shelter Music Boston here.
