Teaching artist Philip Graulty performs with Street Symphony’s Music With a Mission concert at the Midnight Mission in Skid Row on Thursday, June 20, 2024. Some of the performers are part of Finding Your Voice, a music, songwriting and storytelling through spoken word class held at the Midnight Mission. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Through the sound of guitars, the non-profit organization Street Symphony brought together dozens of homeless people on Skid Row on Thursday, June 20. Street Symphony — which includes professional musicians and unhoused music students — gathered at Midnight Mission for its 106th performance.
“People who are experiencing homelessness don’t have access to art or music,” said Georgia Berkovich, chief communications officer at Midnight Mission. “So we started this program in order to provide this to our community. We find that music is to the soul what food is to the body, and it’s sometimes just as crucial.”
Thursday’s performance was titled “Finding Your Voice,” and focused on themes of hope, inspiration and recovery. The event was free and open to all, and Midnight Mission provided food to attendees.
Christopher Booker and Joanna Lynn-Jacobs sing during Street Symphony’s Music With a Mission concert at the Midnight Mission in Skid Row on Thursday, June 20, 2024. Some members are part of Finding Your Voice, a music, songwriting and storytelling through spoken word class held at the Midnight Mission. Booker is an employee at the Midnight Mission and former resident and part of Finding Your Voice and Lynn-Jacobs is a classically trained vocalist. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
People listen to Street Symphony’s Music With a Mission concert at the Midnight Mission in Skid Row on Thursday, June 20, 2024. Some of the performers are part of Finding Your Voice, a music, songwriting and storytelling through spoken word class held at the Midnight Mission. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Michael Curtindolph, 69, plays air violin as he listens to Street Symphony’s Music With a Mission concert at the Midnight Mission in Skid Row on Thursday, June 20, 2024. Some of the performers are part of Finding Your Voice, a music, songwriting and storytelling through spoken word class held at the Midnight Mission. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Michele Legacy listens to Street Symphony’s Music With a Mission concert at the Midnight Mission in Skid Row on Thursday, June 20, 2024. Some of the performers are part of Finding Your Voice, a music, songwriting and storytelling through spoken word class held at the Midnight Mission. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Street Symphony brings a Music With a Mission concert to the Midnight Mission in Skid Row on Thursday, June 20, 2024. Some of the performers are part of Finding Your Voice, a music, songwriting and storytelling through spoken word class held at the Midnight Mission. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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Christopher Booker and Joanna Lynn-Jacobs sing during Street Symphony’s Music With a Mission concert at the Midnight Mission in Skid Row on Thursday, June 20, 2024. Some members are part of Finding Your Voice, a music, songwriting and storytelling through spoken word class held at the Midnight Mission. Booker is an employee at the Midnight Mission and former resident and part of Finding Your Voice and Lynn-Jacobs is a classically trained vocalist. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Street Symphony has been performing at Midnight Mission since 2012, hosting events featuring jazz, mariachi and other genres of music. The performances offer a chance for homeless students to perform for their community in Street Symphony’s free weekly music classes.
They draw a good crowd, 50 to 150 people, and Berkovich says that many unhoused people who come bring all of their belongings in backpacks and sit down for a musical escape from day-to-day hardships.
“People who are experiencing homelessness, they are somebody’s child,” Berkovich said. “They are people who were filled with hope and wonder just like you and me, and nobody ever dreamed of being homeless. They are our neighbors, they are our families. It’s important to keep that in mind.”
Street Symphony’s next performance will be Saturday, June 22, at the Rosenthal Theatre at Inner-City Arts. Free and donation-based tickets can be reserved online at streetsymphony.org.
