Bedford Hills Correctional Facility
Overview
Location: Bedford Hills, NY
Facility: maximum security facility for women
Since: 2022
Participants: 17
Time: 3 hours, weekly, 9 months per year
Instructors: 2-4 per session
Partnership: Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA)
Music Theory
Songwriting
Improvisation
Voice
Topics & Instruments
Piano
Percussion
Violin
Guitar
Shenia playing guitar at the June 2024 Spring Concert at Bedford Hills. Photo by Shawn Jaeger
Patricia Santos Bedford Hills Program Director
Program
At Bedford Hills Correctional Facility, weekly music sessions have become a powerful catalyst for change, addressing a critical gap in programming for one of the fastest-growing yet most underserved populations in the justice system. According to the Vera Institute of Justice, women represent the fastest-growing segment of incarcerated individuals nationwide—yet they consistently receive fewer educational and enrichment opportunities than men.
Musicambia's response to this inequity began as a six-week guest teaching collaboration with Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) in March 2022. The workshops sparked such profound enthusiasm among participants, facility administrators, and our RTA partners that what started as a short-term initiative quickly evolved into something more substantial—a comprehensive nine-month weekly program launching in September 2022.
Modeled after our Flagship Program at Sing Sing but tailored to address the unique experiences and needs of incarcerated women, these weekly sessions create a consistent space for creative expression, skill development, and community building. Participants engage in instrumental and vocal instruction, music theory, composition, and collaborative performance—each element designed to nurture both artistic growth and transferable life skills.
The program's rapid evolution from short-term workshop to established weekly offering speaks to both the urgent need for quality programming for incarcerated women and the transformative power of Musicambia's approach. What participants create within these sessions—both musically and personally—challenges stereotypes and demonstrates the profound capacity for growth and artistic expression that exists within every correctional facility.
Participants, Teaching Artists, and staff pose before December 2023 Bedford Hills concert. Photo by Charles Moore
Concerts
Twice yearly, a classroom in the school building at Bedford Hills transforms into a concert hall where creativity defies circumstance. Musicambia’s June 2024 performance stands as a powerful testament to how far participants have come, showcasing eleven original compositions that reveal both individual journeys and collective growth.
The concert moved between moments of unbridled joy and profound reflection. Jackie's "Raincoat" began as a playful composition but evolved into something magical as her infectious call-and-response chorus swept through the room. By the final refrain, everyone—performers, audience members, even some facility staff—found themselves shouting "Raincoat!" in unison while Teaching Artist Jeremy Jordan's funky piano riffs propelled the energy higher. In that moment, the usual barriers between performer and audience dissolved into a shared experience of musical communion.
The mood shifted as Tiffany took her place at the piano alone. Her ballad "Beloved," written in memory of her father, filled the room with questions of faith and grief. As her fingers moved across the keys and her voice carried heartfelt words with quiet determination, many in the audience marveled at her courage to express loss.
The creative versatility of the group shone through when Amina and Jamaica performed their collaborative piece "Moment of an Eagle." Their blend of hand percussion and poetic rap verses demonstrated how participants learn to build on each other's strengths, creating something neither could have accomplished alone.
Perhaps most emblematic of the concert’s impact was the finale: “Two Roads," a collective composition that wove Robert Frost's iconic poem into an original chorus performed by the entire class. As voices united around familiar words given new musical life, the song became a powerful metaphor for the transformative journeys these women have undertaken through music—choosing roads of creativity, vulnerability, and artistic growth despite challenging circumstances.
Musicambia’s programs at Bedford Hills are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
Last updated: 5-14-25