All-American Voice and Piano Recital at Jessup Women’s Correctional Institution

Greetings everyone!

The chapter wanted to update the public on an amazing initiative we were honored to donate to. Two SAI sisters, Marquita Lister and Dr. Stephanie Bruning contacted the Washington DC Alumnae Chapter asking if we would we willing to contribute to the cost of a piano for their prison recital concert at Jessup Women’s Correctional Institution. The chapter obliged, and the concert was done on February 12, 2016. By all accounts it was a remarkable success! Below is a write-up on the prison concert and some pictures!

“On Friday, February 12, 2016 Morgan State University Music faculty members Marquita Lister (soprano) and Stephanie Bruning (piano) performed a recital at the Women’s Correctional Institution in Jessup, MD.  It is the only women’s correctional institution out of 32 facilities in Maryland.  They performed a joint recital of solo voice and solo piano works featuring American composers including works by both female and African-American composers.  In order to set up the event, Lister and Bruning secured several donors to pay for the rental of a grand piano including Menchey Music, Sigma Alpha Iota Alumni Chapter of Washington, DC, and James Haynes.  Around 100 inmates voluntarily attended the performance and were an enthusiastic crowd.  One inmate said that she “had never heard an opera singer before,” while another stated that the performance “reminded her of life before she was in prison.”  Community outreach is such an important component in music making.  This concert really reached an audience that does not have access to high quality classical music and hopefully brought them a sense of joy and entertainment.”