Unique Youth Prison Music Changes Lives

Power of Harmony reaches behind bars to lift the incarcerated.

Dennis Castiglione

Dennis Castiglione,

President/CEO of the Power of Harmony Foundation

The music class concludes in a manner similar to many others, marked by smiles, laughter, more singing, and expressions of camaraderie. However, what distinguishes this session is that participants ‘count off’ and depart in an orderly fashion, hands clasped behind their backs as they return to their housing units within the Circleville Juvenile Correctional Facility in Circleville, Ohio—a secure institution serving juvenile offenders. This weekly Power of Harmony vocal music class is part of the broader initiative operated by the Power of Harmony Foundation, which provides vocal music instruction, live performances, youth ensemble opportunities, and mentorship in five youth correctional facilities (three in Ohio).

Xavier, a former participant released from an Ohio facility, shared, “Music literally saved my life. Between drugs and violence, I could be dead but music gave me an outlet and in prison Power of Harmony helped me focus, have hope, and look forward to something.” The organization was established in Cleveland, Ohio in 2019 by Dennis Castiglione, President and CEO of the Power of Harmony Foundation, who initially volunteered at Cuyahoga Hills Juvenile Correctional Facility. Castiglione identified a lack of music education offerings and proposed the Power of Harmony program, successfully securing funding from a local charitable foundation.

Teaching at CHJCF

Power of Harmony debuted with a choral concert at Cuyahoga Hills in December 2019. Mark Dobrzynski of the Ohio Department of Youth Services notes, “I have been a witness to Power of Harmony from the conceptualization—to the implementation at the first juvenile facility in Ohio—to the growth to multiple states. I have seen first-hand the impact Power of Harmony can have and the hope it can bring via mentorship to incarcerated youth.”

Although the plan was to begin in-person classes in February 2020, pandemic-related restrictions led to livestreamed sessions delivered to all three of Ohio’s high-security youth facilities. According to Castiglione, the format shifted to music appreciation and history due to technical limitations, but it effectively generated interest and established rapport with participants.

Subsequent research highlighted the absence of consistent music programs in youth facilities, in contrast to adult institutions, underscoring the need for such initiatives. Expanded fundraising efforts enabling Castiglione to secure grants from arts-focused philanthropies. Notably, Josh Groban’s Find Your Light Foundation has contributed annually since 2021, and a separate multi-year gift covers administrative costs, ensuring that all raised funds support programming directly. The Power of Harmony Foundation was ultimately formed specifically for Power of Harmony and now operates as an Ohio 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Abraham Roos

In-person classes feature hour-long sessions taught by certified music educators, assisted by experienced musicians or collegiate music education majors. Lead instructor at Cuyahoga Hills, Abraham Roos, emphasizes the necessity of culturally responsive pedagogy, noting that lessons must accommodate participants with varying abilities, demographics, and experience levels.

Professional artists perform concerts in the prisons every six weeks to motivate voluntary participation, exposing youth to genres such as Latin jazz, reggae, blues, rock, hip-hop, R&B, rap, contemporary a cappella, gospel, and barbershop. One incarcerated youth, ‘Trenton,’ explained, “We had a choice of activities that day. Some of us decided to go and we really liked it. Watching them sing harmony was inspirational; I knew then I wanted to join their classes.”

PoH at graduation

Weekly vocal music sessions aim to develop youth ensembles for performances within the facility, including GED graduations, family events, and worship services, fostering confidence and performance skills. Post-release, select faculty members maintain contact and encourage continued involvement in music, as anti-recidivism remains a core objective. Castiglione asserts, “The intent has always been to provide a positive behavior to replace that which might have caused them to land in prison. Music is therapeutic. Singing multi-part harmony is a community experience requiring discipline and collaboration.”

Power of Harmony currently operates in Ohio, Indiana, and Texas, with inquiries from six additional states. Castiglione affirms, “Our faculty and professional entertainers are paid and we are always seeking music educators interested in supporting this forgotten population.”

Dennis Castiglione is President/CEO of the Power of Harmony Foundation, an Ohio 501c3 non-profit corporation. A graduate of Bowling Green State University, he is a past-president and board member of the Men of Independence barbershop chorus. He has sung throughout his life as a soloist and a member of school and church ensembles. He changed his life trajectory from a successful 30-year career as a sales and marketing consultant to leading a family-owned charitable foundation focused on helping children and animals compromised by circumstance. The launch of Power of Harmony was yet another career shift that focuses fully on bringing music and its life-changing qualities to youth in juvenile prisons. Power of Harmony is now his life vocation.

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