Music-making in prisons is not a new concept. For decades, cases like prison wardens implementing choral singing programs or music education students providing classes to the incarcerated have demonstrated the positive effects of “musicking” in the carceral state. But beyond the individual, familial, and wellness benefits for the incarcerated, Mary Cohen and Stuart Duncan, co-authors of the forthcoming Music-Making in U. S. Prisons: Listening to Incarcerated Voices, hope that music can aid in tearing down unjust prison systems. As Mary notes, “Music-making has so many unique elements that provide an opportunity for personal reflection, for communal connections, and then ideally—and this is what we hope will happen more as these programs continue to develop—is abolishing the harmful aspects of prisons.”

In this second episode of our series on community music, Mary and Stuart share the thesis and background ofMusic-Making in U. S. Prisons. They also offer a historical perspective on the subject, highlighting the impact of music-making on the incarcerated. Next, Lee Willingham, editor of Community Music at the Boundaries, discusses the section of his book that delves into examples of music-making in the carceral state. To close, we hear a clip of “The Person I See” written by Richard Winemiller and performed by the Oakdale Community Choir.

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