“Since I first picked up the violin as a nine-year old, the instrument has been my calling: the beauty, emotional expressiveness, and depth of the music are infinitely rewarding. I have played professionally for over 25 years in the great concert halls of the world and on 20 commercial recordings.
In December 2009 I read in the New York Times about violinist Kelly Hall-Tompkins, who plays in homeless shelters in Manhattan. Immediately I realized that we need this in Boston; that I would create a sustainable nonprofit organization to be staffed by professional musicians who would deliver concerts as a social service. Soon, I had lined up concerts, two per month, at the Shattuck Shelter and Kitty Dukakis Treatment Center in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts.
The first concerts were a revelation: never had I experienced such a level of appreciation for my art from an audience. Performing in environments of great need is a natural evolution of the role classical music should fill in modern society. To have a positive impact on the life of a homeless individual by playing my violin is to honor classical music and the dignity of all people.”
Julie, who founded SMB, has performed every role in the organization from violinist to executive director. To her credit, SMB has hired 58 musicians performing the music of 288 composers with performances for over 15,700 individuals at 40 partner sites.
On April 30, 2021, Julie completed her tenure with Shelter Music Boston as she expands her work to implement social justice with high quality artistic programming beyond SMB.
Author
eglahr@gmail.com
