Perhaps it’s not the first thing that comes to mind when looking to build confidence in your young musician child. Still for many budding musicians, it’s the local retirement communities and nursing homes who represent a large and untapped market just waiting to showcase local talent.
By simply pausing your afternoon and taking a trip to your local nursing home, you can provide your child/children with a fabulous opportunity that is sure to benefit both the performer and listener.
For your child specifically, playing music in a retirement home provides opportunity to perform in public outside the comforts of your familiar living room. Such performances can build confidence in children as they learn how to present themselves in front of both large and small audiences.
Furthermore, students who perform often can push past common anxieties related to playing in public. They are given opportunity to actually practice performing (and yes, performing in public is different than practicing in your home), and self-esteem is increased as children experience the joy of blessing others with their musical gifts. Plus, following each performance children learn to converse with adults in a mature and meaningful way.
You might mix things up a bit and have your child collaborate with other musicians in your area. Perhaps your child has a family member, church acquaintance, or friend from school who also plays an instrument. Have them get together and learn a few songs. As musicians work alongside each other, suddenly the performer becomes less focused on winning or losing and attention becomes directed towards working together.
Furthermore, once a date is set to perform, your child is given a deadline to meet. Discipline becomes refined and patience is embraced as your child collects a list of songs to perform. Often times extra time is also spent with the instrument as each performer works to perfect and polish their performance list.
The residents love it!
Not to mention, you’ll be doing the residents a deep service too. According to John Hopkins, music is considered a medicine for the brain. “There are few things that stimulate the brain the way music does,” says one otolaryngologist from Johns Hopkins. “If you want to keep your brain engaged through the aging process, listening to or playing music is a great tool. It provides a total brain workout.”
What elderly grandma or grandpa wouldn’t love to benefit from an enjoyable brain workout as they listen to budding musicians make music? Plus, for aging grandparents, music has shown to reduce stress and anxiety, decrease pain from a chronic illness, and improve memory.
No, the performance needn’t be perfect. Folks are often thrilled to simply have young smiling faces filling their retirement home. It breaks up an otherwise long day, adds variety to the schedule, and allows seasoned veterans to cheer on your maturing child.
How to Get Started
Do a google search for nursing homes and retirement communities in your area. Browse through local directories, and ask for local references. Or perhaps you have a relative in a nearby nursing home already. If so, go ahead and visit the home with your children and ask about performing opportunities.
Schedule Your First Performance
It’s probably easier than you think to reserve a performance spot in your local nursing home. Many of these places are looking for folks willing to come perform and are thrilled when families reach out. To get started in a nursing home, simply contact the activities coordinator for whichever home you are hoping to perform in. You can introduce yourself either through a phone call, by letter, via e-mail, or by visiting the home in person. You could also include positive references.
Create Your Program
Programs often vary from 20 – 60 minutes in length, although this can vary greatly between locations and schedules. Speak with the activities coordinator to clarify what is expected.
Once you have your performance scheduled, make a list of pieces to perform. These can include solo instrumental pieces, duets with a sibling or friend, and singing with or without an instrument. In addition, you might intersperse your performance with a dramatic reading, a poem recitation or a fun skit. (If you’re planning to play the piano, check to make sure the home has a piano in the room where you’ll be performing. If you won’t have access to a piano, consider borrowing a keyboard from a friend.)
Select Familiar Repertoire
When it comes to sweet grandmas and grandpas, they often prefer all things familiar. Consider playing familiar hymns, favorite Gospel tunes, folk or traditional pieces, and seasonal works. If you’re feeling brave, you might even ask for selections from the audience. Feel free to toss in a few unfamiliar tunes for a pleasant variety, but plan to keep the majority of your program to songs that are familiar for the residence.
Pieces that I’ve found to be absolute favorites in nursing homes I’ve performed in include:
- Amazing Grace
- How Great Thou Art
- When Peace Like a River
- What a Friend We Have in Jesus
- Power in the Blood
- Are You Washed, and more.
In Closing:
Again, the performance doesn’t need to be grand or elaborate. Simply:
- Find a local nursing home or retirement community
- Contact the activities coordinator
- Introduce yourself
- Schedule your first performance
- Compile a song list
- Encourage your child to perfect each song on the list at his/her current musical level
And then? Watch eyes light up as your child musters the confidence to perform in public while seniors delight in hearing your child share his/her gift of music.
Perhaps your child is already performing in nursing homes throughout your local area. If so, what tips do you have for families looking to get started?
