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This fall, our music programming at the Worcester County House of Corrections (WCHoC) returns with fresh energy, new collaborators, and the continuation of our most successful courses to date.
We’re excited to offer a second round of “Beatmaking & Production” inside the main jail, led by returning Teaching Artists Harman Kaler and Dan DeCristofaro. Piloted just this past spring, our Beatmaking & Production course allowed us to reach a new population of students within the jail and introduce them to different ways of creating and connecting through music.
The first Beatmaking & Production class culminated in a music showcase, where our students presented nine original tracks. Each song was composed and produced by students using the tools and musical language acquired throughout the course. These unique pieces, personal to each student, were shared with select friends and family..
The response to our course was overwhelmingly positive. In anonymous feedback, students shared how our class provided a safe space to explore their interests and express themselves, with one student writing:
“They let me know I can be myself and it was okay to perfect my craft.”
Another simply wrote:
“Love music, so making beats taught me a little more about music.”
When asked how the class might support their rehabilitation or post-release goals, students wrote about the transferable skills of collaboration and persistence. One student wrote:
“[A] Friend make[s] music, could actually help them now and learn and teach them a little something I’ve learned.”
Another said:
“Stay focus[ed] and stay doing music.”
Also returning this fall is our “Songwriting Fundamentals” class, offered in the jail’s Annex unit to their S.T.O.P. Program participants. This course was the very first course we launched at the WCHoC nearly 7 years ago with the help of former Superintendent David Tuttle and Sheriff Lew Evangelidis. Since then, it has evolved with each semester and is shaped by the needs, interests, and voices of every new student cohort.
Our Songwriting class will also be co-led by Harman Kaler and Dan DeCristofaro, and will continue to offer students hands-on learning with guitars, keyboards, percussion instruments, and more. Coupled with instrument playing, students also participate in a wide range of creative writing and improvisational exercises designed to build musical literacy and personal confidence.
In addition to these returning classes, we’re launching a new partnership with Tony Parlapiano of popMATICS, a creative curriculum for students who want to take an active role in their own learning. A Massachusetts-based pianist and educator, Tony and his popMATICS partner Angela Senicz work together as a team to bring accessible classes and personalized support to students around the world. This semester, Tony will join us in the Annex to bring his Campfire course to our students. Campfire is a piano improvisation course that allows students to learn piano by ear without sheet music.
Tony’s work through popMATICS aims to meet students where they are, honoring the background and experiences they bring into the classroom. His class prioritizes student expression and agency, offering another entry point for inmates to engage with music on their own terms.
As we continue to expand our work inside the WCHoC, we remain committed to offering high-quality music education that supports healing and growth. Our upcoming Fall classes represent the combined efforts of our staff, students, and partners.
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