Shelter Music Boston Project

Led by Founder and Artistic Director, violinist Julie Leven, the professional musicians from Shelter Music Boston have been bringing high quality classical music to homeless shelters in the Boston area since 2010. The impact of their performances has been tremendous, as expressed by a guest at Pine Street Men’s Inn, “After the performance my heart was risen and my soul awakened. This was truly a heavenly experience for me.” In the past few months, Yu-Hui collaborated with this incredible organization and wrote “The Path in Front of Me”, a commission from SMB, as part of their “Water for My Soul” project, which was funded by the Boston Foundation and Harvard Musical Association. This piece incorporates words written by previous shelter audience into its lyrics, hoping to render the transformation the audience experienced after hearing SMB’s performances. Through this collaboration, Yu-Hui witnessed how music could bring a sense of dignity and humanity to individuals who need it the most, and she felt fortunate to be part of this meaningful endeavor.

Check out Boston Globe’s report about this project: ‘They give us hope’: Music groups bring comfort and joy to the homeless