Based on the real life of Roberta Guaspari, Music Of The Heart orchestrates an all-star cast including Cloris Leachman , Aidan Quinn , Angela Bassett and Gloria Estefan and tells the story of a woman with a goal, a woman with an unstoppable spirit. Deserted by her husband and left to care for her two children alone, Roberta has some serious life changes to make considering she now has herself and two others to provide for. What compounds the situation is that she has little work experience to take her to that next self-sufficient level. Her entire married life had been spent following her husband to various locations as he pursued his career in the Navy. Roberta, for the sake of her family, had to forgo her own dreams and desire for a career.

   But once left on her own, she experiences a new clarity. No longer willing to be a follower, Roberta pledges to walk the path she sets for herself. This determination she holds tight as she carries it to the rough classrooms of East Harlem. With an idea and a slew of violins to her name, Roberta approaches one of the neighborhood's school principals (Bassett) hoping for an opportunity to teach the students to play the violin. With an unsurpassed urgency, Roberta has her own kids play the violin for the school administrator as an example of the successful result of music education. She believes that the perseverance and creativity encompassed in learning to play a musical instrument will help the students grow, like her, emotionally strong.

   Initially hesitant to go with Roberta's suggestion, Principal Williams, the students and the parents soon realize that Roberta's musical gift, enthusiasm for teaching and belief in the value of the arts in education are indeed indispensable. The uniting thread that guaranteed the film's resounding success was the cast and crew's absolute devotion to arts education. Director Craven, himself a former teacher and music lover, feels very strongly that music is an essential part of education. "More than anything else I would love for people to get an idea of how important it is to have music in the schools and how it's not a luxury... It teaches young people that things that are...beautiful...take work... If you do apply those things, work and discipline and passion, you can arrive at something that's really special..." With this unwavering regard for the arts, Craven knew he needed a script and a lead actress that could convey this urgent message and Guaspari's moving story with intelligence and dignity.

   Amazing her colleagues with an astounding screenplay for A Walk On The Moon , Pamela Gray was snapped up immediately by Craven and producer Marianne Maddalena. Explains Craven "She had intelligence, maturity and a sense of humor... Her first draft of Music Of The Heart was good enough to shoot." But a first-rate first draft doesn't come about on it's own. Gray put in some long, studious hours observing Guaspari teach to get an accurate, realistic picture in her head before she sat down to pen the script. "I wanted to find a way to show that [the kids'] lives are hard, harder than other kids', without it feeling stereotyped." Now that's dedication for you.

   Equally devoted to giving her quality, heartfelt best was Meryl Streep , the on-screen Roberta Guaspari. Initially turning down the role because of a difficult schedule (having to publicize One True Thing and Dancing At Lughnasa ), Streep finally caved in to Craven and producer Harvey Weinstein's entreaties. She realized that if Craven and Weinstein had this much faith in the project and its message, she couldn't pass up the chance to be part of something so important and work with people who had a belief in what they were doing.

   The filmmakers couldn't have made a better choice than Streep. Not many people have the energy and strength of character to be able to promote two other movies, build a believable character and learn how to play the violin well enough in a short amount of time to pass for a professional. "I didn't have a single spare moment. I'd be in my trailer trying to keep up with my [violin] lessons and basically doing a crash course..." Streep says. Just as Streep quickly learned how to play the violin, it won't take others long to realize that Music Of The Heart is a note above the rest.