thehappypm
Active member
A bit of a long thread but I do want to share the lessons learned.
I was asked to play at a Senior's Home that is 97% Italian. They celebrate the birthdays for that month near month end. I had planned a mix of Italian and English tunes. I'm probably older than some of the folks in the home. I prepared traditional Italian folk songs, songs I remembered from the weddings of my youth. I expected to play a song, polite applause, next song. That didn't happen. 10 seconds into my opening song, in Italian, and it has become a sing-a-long. They know the chorus, a few know the verses. For some songs, many know all the words. I decided to skip all my English songs but one and they were very quiet then. It was quite a thrill to hear them singing along. When I really nailed a song, their vigorous applause was quite something. I have been asked to return.
Lesson Learned: know your audience. Know the songs they likely sang or sing in their youth. You will connect better with them. I also play weekly at a Senior's centre after they finish their bingo. Again, I cater the songs (English) to what they may have heard in the 50s / 60s. Based on their feedback to me, they like the songs I pick.
This next experience was quite something. Before playing in their large common area at the Senior's Home, I was asked to play for 15 minutes to an audience of their less mobile residents, folks who could not make it to the common room and stayed on their own floor. I arrive, there is an elderly lady, seated looking down at the floor, somewhat aware of my presence. Another is sitting beside her staring off into space, blank expression on her face. I start performing and a few lines in, the elderly lady looking down starts singing, and her eyes look up. And she knows all the words. The lady staring off into space is looking at me with a smile on her face - after a second song, she tells me I am reviving old memories, and she keeps smiling. My third song, people have come out of their rooms and are joining in.
A close friend has also played at a Senior's Home. There was a gentleman who was physically impaired, not moving, sitting in a wheel chair. While she was playing, she looked over at him and noticed he had a finger moving up and down in time with the music.
Lesson Learned: we can reach people with our music. We can affect how they feel. We can brighten their day. We can give them enjoyable memories.
I was asked to play at a Senior's Home that is 97% Italian. They celebrate the birthdays for that month near month end. I had planned a mix of Italian and English tunes. I'm probably older than some of the folks in the home. I prepared traditional Italian folk songs, songs I remembered from the weddings of my youth. I expected to play a song, polite applause, next song. That didn't happen. 10 seconds into my opening song, in Italian, and it has become a sing-a-long. They know the chorus, a few know the verses. For some songs, many know all the words. I decided to skip all my English songs but one and they were very quiet then. It was quite a thrill to hear them singing along. When I really nailed a song, their vigorous applause was quite something. I have been asked to return.
Lesson Learned: know your audience. Know the songs they likely sang or sing in their youth. You will connect better with them. I also play weekly at a Senior's centre after they finish their bingo. Again, I cater the songs (English) to what they may have heard in the 50s / 60s. Based on their feedback to me, they like the songs I pick.
This next experience was quite something. Before playing in their large common area at the Senior's Home, I was asked to play for 15 minutes to an audience of their less mobile residents, folks who could not make it to the common room and stayed on their own floor. I arrive, there is an elderly lady, seated looking down at the floor, somewhat aware of my presence. Another is sitting beside her staring off into space, blank expression on her face. I start performing and a few lines in, the elderly lady looking down starts singing, and her eyes look up. And she knows all the words. The lady staring off into space is looking at me with a smile on her face - after a second song, she tells me I am reviving old memories, and she keeps smiling. My third song, people have come out of their rooms and are joining in.
A close friend has also played at a Senior's Home. There was a gentleman who was physically impaired, not moving, sitting in a wheel chair. While she was playing, she looked over at him and noticed he had a finger moving up and down in time with the music.
Lesson Learned: we can reach people with our music. We can affect how they feel. We can brighten their day. We can give them enjoyable memories.
Absolutely and utterly this!
That would be something, Mike!!!
