MUSICIAN Philip Feinstein is a firm believer in music's uplifting power - and for almost a decade, he has been sharing that power with some of the people who need it most.
The 69-year-old from Rose Bay is the founder of Music for Refugees, which provides instruments and music classes for refugees in detention centres, as well as other refugee support groups.
Launched at Villawood Detention Centre in Sydney in 2009, the program has now expanded to every detention centre in Australia and offshore centres on Christmas Island, Manus Island and Nauru.
A network of volunteers provides music lessons and jam sessions at Villawood, Maribyrnong and Broadmeadows in Victoria, Pinkenba in Queensland, and Perth and Yongah Hill in WA.
When Philip first approached staff at Villawood with his idea in 2008, he quickly discovered there would be obstacles.
"There was nothing in their so-called music room. It was just an empty double garage," he said.
"They said they (refugees) can come out and play, but you'll have to get the instruments."
Hearing about the project, a member of the public donated the first piano for the project which, by a twist of fate, Philip had once owned.
Before long the centre was "bursting" with musical instruments thanks to kind donations.
Philip recently received approval from Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton to send instruments to Manus Island and Nauru. Twelve boxes are now on their way to the centres.
The group also helps refugee support groups including the Asylum Seekers Centre in Newtown, Settlement Services International and the Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors.
Philip, who left South Africa for Australia in 1972 due to his opposition to apartheid, described the experience of sharing music as extremely uplifting.
"When I get there (for a class) they are always sitting there waiting for me with big smiles on their faces," he said.
"They know I have sheets with the words on them and they can pick up any instrument that's there."
On one occasion at Villawood, before the closure of the children's centre, he went to teach a group of youngsters the national anthem only to be told they already knew it.
"They even sang some of the second verse; I think they knew more of the anthem than I did," he said.
The group would love to hear from anyone who has an instrument to donate, or musicians who would like to volunteer to visit centres or to take part in jam sessions.
