Musical Community Service Awards

DEFINITION OF COMMUNITY SERVICE: An activity which is a gift or service, of benefit to the community at large, above and beyond personal benefit

PURPOSE: To encourage students to take their music out into the community.

ELIGIBILITY: Students of any age or level of music study, studying with a BC Registered Music Teacher or STA member.

BENEFITS TO THE STUDENT AND THE COMMUNITY:

1. To give students recognition for sharing their music and encouraging a practical use for their musical education.
2. To take students out of the private music studio and their home and into the musical community.
3. To give students a greater awareness of how their music can be used throughout their lives.
4. To give a student an additional musical goal to strive for.

VOLUNTEERING CRITERIA:

1. Since recitals put on by one’s own teacher are deemed to be part of musical education they are not considered community service.
2. Performances open to the public should be for the primary audience of the public rather than for the benefit of the performer, teacher or branch.
3. When assisting or playing at a concert or church service, the entire duration of the concert or service can be counted.
4. If one hour or more of travel time is involved to get to an event, the travel time may be included
5. Rehearsal time for the community service concert/event as well as performance time can be counted.
6. NO tangible recompense - including school credit, payment or gift card - can be received for the volunteer activity.

VOLUNTEERING SUGGESTIONS:

Musical volunteering ideas might include:

1. Playing music at care homes, hospitals, or to shut-ins.
2. Taking a senior citizen to a concert.
3. Helping with musical programs in churches.
4. Helping with extracurricular music programs at schools.
5. Assisting a music therapist.
6. As an unpaid piano accompanist for singers, instrumentalists or dancers.
7. Helping with various tasks at a music festival or exam venue.
8. Assisting at concerts with creating or distributing programs, staging, lighting, setting out chairs etc.
9. Playing as a guest performance at an event sponsored by someone other than their own teacher.