Mom, Dad... I'm going to Prison.

As Laura has mentioned this experience is truly a blessing. You would think going into one of the most depressing and dismal places in American society would reap little reward, but so far (thankfully) this has not been the case. Perhaps it is the lack of expectation that makes our experience so rewarding. Perhaps it is because after several years of hard work we are finally seeing our degrees in action-- in a rather unconventional way! Or perhaps our experience is so special because of the group's spiritual/musical focus. Every week we are given the opportunity, through scripture and song, to tap into a very simple and honest place with these gentlemen, many of whom society has promptly dismissed. Though we are just about a month underway, the learning has been vast (at least on our part) and We hope to evidence that through this blog. Now for a little background:

WHO:
Joyful Noise is co-directed by myself, Laura, Miranda and Ashley. We are all music education majors at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ and we each offer a specialized skill set that further contributes to the group. Laura, having perhaps the most extensive experience in sacred music is an excellent resource for repertoire and selection appropriateness. Ashley, growing up in an urban center offers a realistic approach to what we at the College call "honoring their world." This notion is based of a teaching model called Critical Pedagogy which states, in brief, that students bring a wealth of knowledge into any classroom environment and the way to most effectively teach these students is to tap into that (formal or informal) educational base and grow your learning from here. It's kind of like farming. You want to plant your seeds in the most nutrient rich soil to reap the best outcome... Miranda, being a recent transfer student, offers a varying approach to music education based on her previous experiences at other institutions. She is also the only one out of the four of us who has worked with adult (albeit female) voices. Then there is myself.

Growing up in a household where both of my parents and most of their friends worked in correctional facilities, the reality of "prison life" has never been a foreign concept for me. Having always been the odd-ball in my family, typically the entertainment thanks to Disney sing-along tapes and make-shift costumes (who better knows the endless possibilities of a bed sheet than a child?!), I have always had contrasting views on this issue. Perhaps this is because the spirit is hardened when working in a prison and is encouraged to bloom as an artist. There is no doubt in my family that I am the emotionally attune one and, for survival's sake in their profession, my parents had to put on a tough guise. All this is to say that the arguments about an inmate's rights were many when I first presented this idea to them, and although they may not agree with me doing this music ministry, they support my decision (a very diplomatic answer, I must say).

On a more personal level, this is a spiritual journey for me. Having not yet found my 'ligion, I am taking this opportunity to see what He throws my way. Reverend Dawn, who is the Protestant Chaplain for the University, is the one who first approached me about this opportunity last spring. Knowing I was involved in Student Government, she thought I might be able to get the word out about this. It seems now that she came knocking on the right door. At first I was only interested in the musical possibilities of such a group and the "Christian focus" was just a box for me to work from within. As music education majors we are always talking about the political hurdles we have to overcome in the classroom, and this seemed like mine. Well... have you ever seen a hurdler running and going jump the next hurlde when suddenly his foot gets caught on the bar and he faceplants into the track? Serendipitously, that's me! At this point, I would not venture to say I am a Christian, but I do recognize the presence of a spiritual plain beyond my human limitations. Through this group I am seizing the day and taking every opportunity I can to help these men and myself discover who we truly are, and if it takes a little Jesus to get there, so be it.

WHAT, WHERE and WHEN:
So, if you've not been reading thus far, my colleagues and I have started a Men's Choir at a Youth Correctional Facility in New Jersey called "Joyful Noise." It is an ensemble that meets for one hour, once a week. We have very little time to work with our ensemble, but the learning in this particular exercise occurs is the process, not the product. We are not a flashy crew, and contrary to popular belief NBC has not yet approached us about a television series (though Lifetime calls incessantly). In our program we have two Protestant Chaplains, four student co-directors, anywhere from 12-40 singers (depending on the week) and a partridge in a pear tree... As our group gains more traction at the prison, we continue to see more new faces in the crowd. This is very exciting for us! The first week we went the gentlemen all filed in, some glad to be there, but most seemed to care less. By the end of that first rehearsal, there was not a single soul in the room not smiling... and the people said AMEN.

We continue to go on a weekly basis. Wednesday evenings are when the magic occurs. Getting to that point in the week, however, is hell. We all have very busy class schedules (as any music major can attest to) and Wednesday being the hump day it is drains us all. Needless to say the van rides to the Facility are usually very quiet and subdued. But what about the ride back, you may ask? We cannot shut up! Between processing our experience or talking about our pupils (i did NOT expect Coker to be able to rap like that! and what about Turner?! And where the HECK did Irv come from? Boy can SANG!) we receive a small taste of instant gratification. It's kind of like licking to spoon when you're baking a cake. Although the cake isn't done yet, the batter is just SO DAMN GOOD!

WHY:
This is always the hardest question to answer, isn't it? Hence the reason all children can get under any adult's skin... In the music ed program at our school, we are required to complete a certain amount of professional development activity (PDA) hours per semester. This is one way for us to fulfill that requirement. While the experience is partially obligatory, I am confident in saying that for all of us it is primarily voluntary. All in all, it's a pretty cool experience. How often do you year a classical musician saying, "oh yeah, I was in prison last night"? We're supposed to be the calm/responsible ones, aren't we? Well, it's a surefire way to (initially startle and) intrigue people. it gives us an opportunity to educate people about the realities of prison life, not just the images projected on prime-time TV. And, to top it off, we're giving the gift of music to people who so desperately need it. Through music and praise, we are reminding these gentlemen of their humanity and positively affecting change in their hearts. This all must sound very flowery and poetic, I admit. But, this story is not the makings of a "Mr. Holland's Opus II." It's about sharing gifts and receiving grace. Plain and simple. Our endeavor is a symbiotic relationship. We will reap what we sow.

As for the rest of the "why," we hope that question will answer itself in the coming entries.

Wishing you a wonderful Saturday afternoon,
Ryan