Pianist Simone Dinnerstein performed at Jessup's Maryland Correctional Institute for Women  today. In town for a Mozart concerto with the BSO, Dinnerstein played Schubert and Bach for about 40 inmates and a dozen guards in the prison library. The women gave her a standing ovation.

Afterwards, Dinnerstein said she's previously taken time from her whirlwind touring schedule to perform in schools, a home for foster children, and a Louisiana prison. "I wouldn't want to just play in concert halls, because that's a little elitist," said Dinnerstein. "I think getting outside of that is important, and I always want to do this sort of thing."

And what did she think of the Jessup concert? "I thought it was great," she said, beaming. "I was really pleased, because they were such a great audience. They were really involved and focused."

During the Q&A following the show, inmate Stephanie Harris told Dinnerstein that she usually listens to R&B, not classical, but that all music has a story to tell, and she was interested in those stories. I later asked Harris what "stories" Dinnerstein's playing conjured, and she said the Schubert "started out melancholy and got angry. It picked up and got like an action movie, like two cars crashing."

And the Bach? "It reminded me of water," she said. "It was like a stream of water falling out of the fountain. Then, it was like waves brushing up against the shore. And at the end, it was like dancing—like when you're having fun and dancing. I'd always heard about the symphony, but I'd never been able to go. So this was my first time really hearing classical music. And I really enjoyed myself."