media – Singing Behind Bars

Singing in Prison Roundtable

Join us on Wednesday, March 17, 2021, 8:00 p.m., on The Choral Commons Facebook page for a live conversation among prison choral facilitators, restored citizens and community members who participated in “inside” choirs.

The Choral Commons Conversation

Dr. Emilie Amrein (University of San Diego) and Dr. Andre DeQuadros (Boston University) hosted an hour-long session with Jody Kerchner (OMAG Choir founder/director) and Jerome Thompson (OMAG Choir founding member & restored citizen) on March 10, 2021 as a part of The Choral Commons Prison Arts series on Facebook. In this conversation, we discuss howContinue reading “The Choral Commons Conversation”

“Oberlin Stage Left” Highlights Oberlin Prison Music Facilitators

LINK: <https://www.oberlin.edu/conservatory/stage-left> Arts Bar None When Oberlin Professor of Music Education Jody Kerchner started a choir, from scratch, at Grafton Correctional Institution, it was not something she’d had on her bucket list. Now, five years and many rehearsals later, Kerchner joins former OMAG student choir assistants and Oberlin Strings facilitators for a chat about how their communityContinue reading ““Oberlin Stage Left” Highlights Oberlin Prison Music Facilitators”

The Thrill of Victory, The Agony of Defeat

Many of you might remember ABC’s Wide World of Sports that aired each Saturday afternoon in the 1970s. Jim McKay’s voice narrated, dramatic music played, while the visuals showcased the variety of sports events covered in the show. As a child, I was in awe of the strength and excitement of the athletes, but invariably, I couldn’tContinue reading “The Thrill of Victory, The Agony of Defeat”