University music students are working with new mothers who are incarcerated to compose heartfelt musical messages for their children—a partnership aptly titled The Lullaby Project.
Although concrete and steel bars separate the new moms at Camille Graham Correctional Institution from their babies, students use music to break down those barriers.
The musicians studying at the University of South Carolina are helping to foster family intimacy, despite the distances between parent and child, thanks to Carnegie Hall and its Weill Music Institute.
“No amount of training could truly prepare us for how impactful this project is,” said USC grad student Alyssa Santivanez, who has been co-writing original lullabies for the project.
“It’s one thing to learn about how to create alone and how to put everything together, and another thing to really be there with the women and work with them—it just means so much.”
Alexis, an inmate benefiting from the Lullaby project said, “I get sad so much not being around him, so just knowing that he’s going to be able to hear something that I wrote word for word. It’s amazing.”
“It’s amazing because I just wish I was there, but this is something for him to hold onto me. It’s an amazing feeling.”
“It kind of makes me feel accomplished…to be able to write a song and he is going to be able to hear it.”
Claire Bryant, USC Assistant Professor of Cello says, “This is a very special project and process. I personally have worked in corrections for the past 10 years through music, and I think music can do a lot of good for all of us, no matter our circumstance but especially incarcerated people I think need the chance with some positive programming.”
And, according to the Lullaby project participant featured in a new video below, it’s working.
“It makes me want to try to write more songs or poetry. It just makes me want to do more positive things… This is like the opening door. I feel like I can do it.”
“It’s very motivating how talented they are and I’m grateful for them.” adds Alexis.
Serena LaRoche, USC Assistant Professor of Voice, commented: “It’s just so rewarding. We all come from different backgrounds, myself as faculty and the students who come in with their own tonal preferences and ideas about composition and music and songwriting and all their life experience…and how a song can be born out of that—how it can create a real musical moment that can connect on a very personal level to her, but really to all of us.”
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“While we’re in the songwriting process and talking to the women, it really means a lot just for that one moment when we can tell that their eyes get that sparkle.” said Santivanez. “It’s just it’s really emotional.”
“We are like the bridge between them right now and their kids and our families.” Eunice Koh, USC Music performance doctoral student.
“You can put as much metal and walls in the way as you want and you cannot break that connection and it will never be broken,” said Bryan Stirling, Director of the state’s department of corrections.
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“I can’t thank USC South Carolina enough for what they’re doing— stepping up and helping these folks—and I hope they realize they’re not just helping the mothers. they’re helping the children and they’re helping the family and therefore they help their community and their state.”
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