Music of the Heart 1999

In the vibrant cityscape of 1981 New York City, Roberta Guaspari (Meryl Streep), a gifted violinist with an unwavering devotion to music, finds herself grappling with the emotional fallout of her recent divorce from Charles Demetras, a U.S. Navy officer who has turned his affections toward her friend, Lana Holden. With her mother, Assunta, urging her to step back into the workforce and care for her two sons, Alexi and Nicholas, Roberta seeks solace in the familiar company of her old acquaintance, Brian Turner. Starting her journey as a gift-wrapper in a department store, she rekindles her passion for music when Turner suggests that she meet Janet Williams, the head teacher at East Harlem’s Central Park East School.

Despite her lack of formal experience in music education, Roberta courageously embraces the opportunity to work as a substitute violin teacher, arriving with 50 child-sized violins she procured during her husband’s deployment in Greece. With a unique combination of strength and resolve, she manages to motivate a cohort of children and win over their initially doubtful parents, gradually crafting a program that captures the attention of the community and eventually extends to Central Park East II and River East Schools.

As a decade passes, the once-thriving string programs face a severe threat when the New York City Board of Education considers slashing funding. Roberta’s earlier dismissal only intensifies her resolve to advocate for the program she has passionately nurtured. Rallying support from her former students, their parents, and fellow teachers, she orchestrates a benefit concert named Fiddlefest aimed at raising essential funds to sustain the program. Just as rehearsals progress, disaster strikes when the venue is abruptly lost. Fortunately, help arrives in the form of Arnold Steinhardt, a celebrated violinist with the Guarneri Quartet and a friend of Roberta’s, who galvanizes other renowned musicians such as Isaac Stern, Itzhak Perlman, Mark O’Connor, and many more to participate in securing a new venue at Carnegie Hall. This pivotal moment allows Roberta and her students to share the stage with music legends during the Fiddlefest performance.

The concert transforms into an overwhelming success, reflecting Roberta’s steadfast commitment to her craft and the extraordinary abilities of her students. In a heartwarming epilogue, the film reveals that the concert’s proceeds of $250,000, a powerful testament to music’s influence, sustain Roberta’s innovative program for three additional years, further bolstered by benefit concerts and donations to her private foundation, Opus 118 Harlem School of Music. Although Community School District 4 offers limited support due to its finances, the combined efforts of commitment, generosity, and resilience lead to the official reinstatement of Roberta’s esteemed violin program, showcasing the profound impact she has had on her students’ lives.

In the meantime, Roberta’s personal life flourishes as well. She now resides in East Harlem with her daughter Sophia, whom she lovingly adopted from El Salvador in 1991. Her eldest son Nicholas has emerged as a talented cellist, currently delving deeper into his musical studies, while her youngest son Alexi is on the brink of pursuing a career in medicine, ready to make his own contributions to society. As Opus 118 aims to broaden its outreach and impact more children, its future relies heavily on the kindness of the community and the steadfast dedication of its supporters.