When master Latvian violinist Gidon Kremer drew his bow across the strings of his 379-year-old Amati violin on the final note in his recent performance of Preludes to a Lost Time by Weinberg, and Chaconne by Bach, the audience leapt into the air in a rousing standing ovation.

But, rather than the ornamental halls of the Kennedy Center, the applause echoed around the gymnasium in British Colombia emanating from the hands of prisoners, incarcerated for crimes ranging from burglary to murder.

"I have to say that in some ways they were more attentive or more enthusiastic compared to some concert audiences," 72-year-old Kremer told CBC news. (See a clip below.)

The concert in the Pacific Institution in Abbotsford was put together by the Looking at the Stars Foundation, a Toronto-based charitable organization that puts on classical music events and performances for those who might not have the opportunity to access traditional theaters and concert halls.

Founded in 2015 by a Lithuanian refugee, Dimitri Kanovich, Looking at the Stars has hosted 37 such concerts in 15 Canadian prisons in just four years.

As the day of the performance arrived, prisoners entered the gymnasium after being searched by a guard and a sniffing dog—then, a personal handshake from Mr. Kanovich ensured they felt welcome.

The audience was spellbound for an hour during the performance, according to Vancouver Symphony Orchestra President, Angela Elster. The orchestra was a production partner for the prison concert, and is soon to work with Corrections Canada to create a program that allows inmates access to instruments that they formerly played and would like to play again.

After the show, there was a Q&A session with the Latvian maestro. Prisoners asked him questions about composers like Vivaldi, about how old he was when he started playing the violin as a child, and who played his antique violin before he came to possess it.

But more than anything else they wanted to express their heartfelt gratitude for coming all the way to their institution and playing for them one of the most complicated pieces of music imaginable.

"I think music is something that can give warmth to everyone in trouble, in prison or not in prison," said the violinist. "I'm happy to have been here."

(WATCH a clip of his performance—with ovation at 2:00— from CBC below…)

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