INTERNATIONAL violinist Tasmin Little and pianist Martin Roscoe will perform a programme of classical works to celebrate the transformative power of a music in North-East prisons.

The concert in aid of the Irene Taylor Trust Music in Prisons project will be staged at The Sage Gateshead, at 7.30pm on Saturday, June 15 - including compositions by Mozart, Faure, Ravel and Franck.

Since Lord Taylor of Gosforth founded the trust in 1995, projects in the North-East have remained at the heart of its work.

It has inspired thousands of prisoners, ex-prisoners and vulnerable young people by engaging them in the creation of original music, developing important life-skills along the way.

Project manager Sara Lee said: “Strong relationships with HMPs Frankland, Low Newton and Castington have provided new hope for participants, allowing them to see beyond their time in custody to a more positive future.

“Working with some of the most disadvantaged and excluded people in our society, many having faced issues such as drug abuse, mental health problems, exclusion from school and homelessness.

“The trust’s projects are expertly constructed to provide positive learning experiences that can act as a vital catalyst in the process of rehabilitation and reintegration, helping to nurture the skills needed for individuals to become valued members of their communities.”

Tickets are £20.50 (concessions £18.50) with all proceeds and donations collected on the night going to support the work of Music in Prisons.

Tickets are available online at www.thesagegateshead.org or contact 0191-443 4661.