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Posts: 20
Location: Castle Rock, CO | Does anyone here do music presentations at nursing homes?
I currently do such a gig on a monthly basis at a local home. I have a guitar-playing buddy that drives up from another town to participate. We usually do a 3 hour rehearsal at my home, then pack up our gear and put on a 1 hour presentation at the nursing home. The residents love it, and since we schedule regularly, make a point of attending.
The gig we did in November marked the first time I used my newly acquired 6778LX Elite. The instrument was on loan from a friend for a try out to see if I wanted to buy.
It sounded so good at the gig that the deal was sealed, and I cut a check for it the following week!
Instant O-fan!
We've been doing this gig going on four years now.. and haven't slowed down. I am actually planning on adding a few more such gigs when I retire from the day job in a few more years.
If you have never tried playing at a NH, I highly recommend it...a really good place to hone your public performing skills! |
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November 2011
Posts: 741
Location: Fort Worth, TX | I have a friend who makes an excellent high income playing at day cares. He has a monthly route he goes to. He does a half hour set of children's songs for them. He lives in the biggest house in his neighborhood so it is apparently lucrative. |
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December 2015
Posts: 20
Location: Castle Rock, CO | I understand that a good going pay rate for nursing homes is in the $100-150 range for a one hour presentation. There are some folks who are willing to do this free of charge on a volunteer basis, but nursing homes do have a substantial activities budget, and are willing to pay for good acts. Currently, my friend and I are asking 0nly $50 per session, mainly to cover gas expenses (he drives from another city 45 miles away), and to have a meal afterwards.
Edited by gitfiddler 2015-12-10 9:04 AM
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Location: Frozen Tundra of Minnesota | Welcome Git Fiddler!
I have been to Castle Rock, and it is absolutely GORGEOUS!! And the people were So Friendly and Nice! I have very good memories from there! It is great to have you join us! 
I remember when I was in Elementary School, we had a Performer come in and play in the Gymnasium for all of us kids, we all just loved him! It was a very Special Treat for us! I remember it very well, turned out the Performer was a very young John Denver, and he was doing just what you said, honing his talents, and playing before a very appreciative and non-judgemental audience! |
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December 2015
Posts: 20
Location: Castle Rock, CO | Thanks
Wow...John Denver..that would have been cool. It's neat that you can say "I saw him when...."
Yep, I've lived in Castle Rock for ten years now, and really like it here. Moved up from C. Springs where I'm from.
The town has grown to over 45,000 now, virtually a suburb of Denver, but it still has that 'small-town' feel. I remember back in the day when Castle Rock was one of those 'blink-and-miss-it' towns along I-25!
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December 2003
Posts: 849
Location: Canada | I am actually thinking about doing this, mainly to get some performance experience all in all. Over the summer I have built a song set with ukulele accompaniment and it was fun doing that at Thanksgiving for friends and family, and I think I'd like to get out more. I'm also in a choir and we performed in a seniors residence two days ago. It was a huge place but not intimidating and I got the activity director's contact. I am not sure if I want to do this solo, but the leader of my uke group knows a lot of older songs and I don't think he gets out a lot, so may ask him. Oh yeah and my uke group is singing xmas songs live on radio tomorrow morning. So I'm glad to hear that others are doing this and payment may be an option too. |
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December 2015
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Location: Castle Rock, CO | d'ovation,
Great! I hope you go ahead and do that. You won't regret it. The best part is seeing the residents get into it and enjoy it, especially if you play stuff that they know. Also, they are a very appreciative audience and are very forgiving of any gaffs! (Boy, do I have some good 'gaff' stories....). |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | I did it once. I answered an ad. I spent a lot of time practicing the oldest songs I knew, mostly from the 60s and 70s. The activity director liked my set list and I did a 1 hour "audition". I thought it went well, but I never got invited back. It was still worth it, but I hoped to make a regular gig out of it, even for little or no pay. |
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Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | gitfiddler - 2015-12-10 8:15 AM
...especially if you play stuff that they know.
For some of us, those white-haired old-folks ain't that much older than us.
Remember... Many of those 70-80 year-old folks saw Jimi and Janis and Duane live. 
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Location: Fort Worth, TX | Old Man Arthur - 2015-12-10 4:14 PM
gitfiddler - 2015-12-10 8:15 AM
...especially if you play stuff that they know.
For some of us, those white-haired old-folks ain't that much older than us.
Remember... Many of those 70-80 year-old folks saw Jimi and Janis and Duane live.
When I was in the first university I attended I sat on the front row (on the floor, everybody was on the floor) in a small "auditorium" room watching a 3 piece band called something like "ZZ Top" doing their first tour. We weren't too impressed but as we all know they got much better. What will Darkbar have to say about me seeing Duane? |
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Posts: 270
| I belong to a ukulele group that does this all the time. It's very rewarding. We've played several times for an adult daycare for Alzheimer's patients and it's amazing how many of them, who seemed unresponsive at first, came alive when we started playing. One woman would even conduct us (quite skillfully at that). Our performances are free. |
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June 2014
Posts: 46
Location: CT | I play an Ovation mando in a duo with a great guitar player who plays an Ovation LX at several senior centers/nursing homes in our area. We both agree that it is one of the most satisyfying gigs we play and return to one of them every 2-3 months. We give them a discounted rate and donate our holiday performance to show our appreciation for what a great audience they are. I think the key is to enjoy what you play so it is contagious, but playing familiar songs in the eras they grew up is important if for nothing but just to hear the audience sing along, smile, and show how much they enjoy memories of their younger, and probably happier days. I like to talk about the songs we play, how they fit into the times, and I don't think any othe venues I've ever played at are as rewarding and the audience appreciates it as much.
Edited by Bradf4rd 2015-12-10 8:38 PM
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Location: 6 String Ranch | Ah yes, John Duchendorf, I knew him when he knew how to read a gas guage..... |
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December 2014
Posts: 1713
Location: Frozen Tundra of Minnesota | Beal - 2015-12-11 6:38 PM
Ah yes, John Duchendorf, I knew him when he knew how to read a gas guage.....
Ooooooh, Low Blow... Funny, but low blow... 
Edited by Nancy 2015-12-12 9:14 AM
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Location: Always beautiful canyon country of Utah | I played at a nursing home once but they threw waffles at me and I had a hard time getting the syrup offa my guitar |
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December 2014
Posts: 1713
Location: Frozen Tundra of Minnesota | nerdydave - 2015-12-12 6:04 PM
I played at a nursing home once but they threw waffles at me and I had a hard time getting the syrup offa my guitar
Oh Nuuuummmmm! Waffles!!!! |
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December 2015
Posts: 20
Location: Castle Rock, CO | Have a nursing home gig coming up this weekend...
Set list -
Eliza's Farewell
Morning Has Broken
The Old Gray Cat
Pancakes N' Meat (Original tune)
Scarborough Fair
Snowball
Kiss of Fire
Hanukkah Song
Spirit of Christmas (original song)
Greensleeves
A Soalin'
O Holy Night
I'll Be Home For Christmas
Old City Bar (Trans-Siberian Orchestra Song)
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
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Location: Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA | Hi, Gitfiddler, and Everyone,
I did music ministry in 2 different nursing homes from 1985-1995, in my home town, and from 1995-2005, here in Ottawa. All the residents loved the music. At the nursing home in Ottawa, we always had a meal with the residents. One time we even had a Christmas banquet with them! Speaking of residents, I might be, maybe? forced to sell some of my music stuff to pay for a new scooter in 2016, and that's a definite maybe. Sell my OVATION?! Over my dead body. Do the nursing home gig, people, it's a hoot.
Mike S. |
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Playing at Nursing Homes
