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| Today I am honored to be on the board of directors of Bach with Verse, and to serve as the secretary. I have played the violin and have sung on and off for much of my life. I enjoy music as a form of expression, and feel it is beneficial for people of all ages and life experiences to have the opportunity to listen. But what causes me to believe in the mission of Bach with Verse is something quite personal. Several years ago I was given a gift--a truly unique and life-changing experience. At the time I was incarcerated at the New Hampshire State Prison for Women. I was trying keep my days busy, to learn from my past, and to not lose track of the important things of life. In the face of the sameness, sadness and pain that exist daily in prison, it is too easy to get off track. Around me were about a hundred other women, each on their individual journeys inside the walls. I do not remember what kind of notice we were given about Dobbs’ visit to the prison, only that a musician was coming to play for us, and it was supposed to be funny. His arrival was greeted with a wide range of reactions, including excitement, doubt, curiosity, and skepticism. I grew up playing the violin, and was very excited that we would be hearing a double bass. The double bass is not as well known as some of the other stringed instruments, so I figured we were in for a treat, but I had no idea…We all crowded into the rec room in the prison and were introduced to Dobbs, who invited us on a journey. He began by sharing his excitement that his life’s work (the Bach cello suites) was finally finished, recorded, and published as a CD. Then, for the next hour, he played his beautiful music and told funny stories. He brought us on a journey of laughter, of joy, and of amazement as his fingers made magic on the strings. For a brief time, the sadness receded, and we connected with someone from “outside,” someone who seemed to see us simply as people. For me, his visit was a reminder that there would be life after prison. He brought hope, and his music gave me new inspiration. I believe that music can change us; for a moment, for an hour, and sometimes forever. I believe in the joy music brings, and that it can express deep emotion where words may fall short. This ability to touch the soul is the gift that Dobbs, through Bach with Verse, offers to his audience. Gretchen Fisher, BWV Board Member |
PRISON CONCERTS
Inmates need to laugh and they need to hear music, but I think more than
anything else, they need to be treated like regular people by someone from the
outside who has nothing at stake in their lives, but is willing to talk to them,
play music for them, and make them laugh. It’s not a lot, but it can have real
and positive meaning for inmates. Clearly the response that I get for my
stories is wonderful, and that’s always what performers want, but the
response to the Bach Suite somehow goes deeper. I can feel a kind of quieting
in the room, a draining of tension, and even though it’s not music they may be
used to, I feel them moved by it. After one performance, an inmate told me
with kind of an amazed expression on his face, "That music (the Bach) made
me feel so relaxed."
Richard “Dobbs” Hartshorne
anything else, they need to be treated like regular people by someone from the
outside who has nothing at stake in their lives, but is willing to talk to them,
play music for them, and make them laugh. It’s not a lot, but it can have real
and positive meaning for inmates. Clearly the response that I get for my
stories is wonderful, and that’s always what performers want, but the
response to the Bach Suite somehow goes deeper. I can feel a kind of quieting
in the room, a draining of tension, and even though it’s not music they may be
used to, I feel them moved by it. After one performance, an inmate told me
with kind of an amazed expression on his face, "That music (the Bach) made
me feel so relaxed."
Richard “Dobbs” Hartshorne