Roberta Guaspari [a violin teacher (played by Meryl Streep) who taught music at a New York public school to kids mostly from East Harlem; the students eventually played at Carnegie Hall] : This beautiful concert that you’ve just heard could be the very last concert for the East Harlem Violin Program. The board of education and the district attorney think that music isn’t important. But they are wrong! And they’re gonna get a BIG fight!
[thunderous applause]
XXX XXX XXX
Roberta Guaspari (to her students right before a big concert) : I want you all to take a second and just… breathe. Deep breaths. Now listen to me. I want you all to play from your heart. Forget about the audience, watch me, you’ll do just fine. Just play from here.
