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New Ideas and Programs

PBS (Twin Cities Public Television) has chosen our music to be part of their website that will be a companion project to their special on Alzheimer's Disease, "The Forgetting" that aired on January 21st, 2004

Senior To Senior - high school to nursing home The purpose of this program is to: · Increase the amount of quality live musical shows for seniors in nursing homes · Provide the means for high school students with some musical talent to learn to interact with seniors, serve their community and experience the satisfaction from being of service The need for this type of program is two fold – From the seniors in the nursing homes point of view they get far too little real musical talent to entertain them for those long hours From the seniors in high school point of view they get far too little real world experience and opportunities to have positive interaction with our elders. They key to this program and the bridge to cross the generation gap is the training and use of the piano accompaniment CDs that are provided by Heart and Soul Music. This training program and CDs of pre-recorded piano accompaniment allow ANYONE who can sing even a little bit (think of Bob Dylan, or Jimmy Durante.) to perform a show that will really entertain the residents. The program allows for singers to have access to songs pre-recorded in every key so each singer can build their own show to suit their voice and style. In addition, students are coached on all aspects of performing from getting the gig, scheduling, billing, bookkeeping, interaction with residents, staff and family, performance techniques, and dealing with the emotional aspects of the nursing home experience. All of this is valuable education for real life. When the high school seniors complete the program they are ready to entertain seniors in all walks of life from independent living folks at senior centers to Alzheimer’s patients in nursing homes. You can learn more about Heart and Soul Music and the background for this program at our web site www.heart-soul-music.com. We are looking for participants from high schools, nursing homes and community organizations to develop the prototype program. Operational Plan 1- introduce student body to overall concept - looking for volunteers a. required to learn 15 songs – with 1 or 2 partners i. songs can be 1. old sing-a-long 2. blues 3. jazz 4. musical comedy 5. country b. perform 10 to 20 shows at a senior facility c. earn community service credits d. don’t have to be a great singer e. compassion and ability to deal with difficult situations in life helpful 2- choose 4 to 8 of the best prospects (maybe more if there is a demand) 3- choose songs, determine keys and give students CDs to start practicing 4- rehersal, performance technique 5- everything else – booking, booking, scheduling, expenses, musical material 6- start performing 7- feedback from nursing homes and residents Plan The Musical Show will be great!! Robert Goldstick has performed 20 – 30 shows a month for over 10 years and has literally seen every situation imaginable. Through all of these experiences he has developed the essentials to providing a thoroughly entertaining show for seniors in nursing homes. He has also passed on this knowledge to numerous singers and musicians who are performing their own shows through the country. The program consists of a 1-hour show filled with favorite songs from the 20s through the 50s. Everybody loves these songs and any performer singing these songs with feeling will give the residents a great time – and this can be very important in their lives and the only thing that might be pleasant for a long time. This program is a major win-win situation for everyone. There will be many, many more musical shows being performed so the seniors in the nursing homes will be happier. The students need community service credits to graduate. Often, when they go to the nursing homes they are generally ill prepared to actually help in the day-to-day life for the residents. Giving them the piano accompaniment cds with familiar music and the training on how to present the show to the nursing homes will give them the ability to get their service credits and do something really positive for the community – and something they can continue to do after they graduate. This program could results in many, many more shows being performed and the residents of nursing homes really having a slightly better life! The end goal is to have a curriculum package made available to all high schools that takes the kids through the program of learning the need, learning the songs and a show, booking it and performing it and then talking about their feelings about it all. Plan details Musician familiar with the nuts and bolts of a successful, entertaining show Describes process to a high school music teacher familiar with putting on musical comedy With assistance from a local volunteer coordinating agency Result in a high school program that trains kids who can sing in the process of performing a show for a nursing home Which results in shows being performed in the local nursing homes that actually entertain Kids should probably work in groups as duos or trios Grief counseling A scheduled one-day seminar about grief and the death and dying process and the feelings that come up when you are in a nursing home with some weekly?? sessions