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A concert in the courtroom - Folk singer Carrie Newcomer performs for youngsters under care of mental health court
October 13th, 2007
by Kelly Baker - Springfield News-Sun
SPRINGFIELD — Carrie Newcomer has played many a venue, from coffee houses to Carnegie Hall. But Friday's concert in a courtroom was a first.
The folk singer took time out before her evening concert at Kuss Auditorium to perform for young people under the care of Clark County's Juvenile Mental Health Court.
"More than anything, I want to do songs that come from the heart," the musical story-teller said as she waited for the youth to file in.
She did just that, opening with a song about letting go and allowing change; followed by a song about geodes - those non-descript rocks that hide their secret beauty inside � "The miracle locked in the common."
Between numbers, Newcomer encouraged the youths to allow their creative selves to flow through writing, reminding them that everyone's story is fascinating.
Newcomer gave up the floor to one of the teens, a pony-tailed girl named Haley, who delivered a crystal clear a cappella performance of the song "Go Rest High on that Mountain."
Kids can be a tough crowd, but Friday's audience sat quietly, seemingly mesmerized by Newcomers' talent and words.
"She has a lot of meaning in what she sings," Haley said. "Now I know there are people who care about music like I do."
Matt West, director of the special dockets at juvenile court, appreciated Newcomer's message in song.
"The story that everyone has their own struggles resonates with these kids," West said. "A lot of these kids are hurting."
The court began the specialized mental-health intervention last October. The separation from the regular docket allows the children to get the mental-health services they lacked before they ended up in court, West said. Some suffer from post traumatic stress syndrome because of their home life while others have been diagnosed with obsessive compulsive or attention deficit disorders, or schizophrenia.
Newcomer's concert complemented Project Jericho's ongoing work with the court to help troubled kids find creative outlets through the arts. The youths received a pass to Friday nights performance along with a free Newcomer CD.