Guidelines & Criteria
It is vital that every musician preparing to perform at the Emily Couric Cancer Center review, understand, and abide by the guidelines and criteria for performance. The official guidelines can be found below:
Lobby Music Guidelines.docx"All musicians must have prior experience and proficiency; we are striving to create a pleasant, welcoming environment." (Excerpt from guidelines above.)
Additionally, I asked local musicians, instructors, and professors to share their expertise. Their suggestions are a terrific optional resource to review along with the official guidelines from the ECCCC:
Kate Tamarkin
- Musicians have to play independently enough to play through distraction
- Musicians need to be secure in the pieces they are playing
- Musicians should be mature enough to understand that the performance is in a serious setting, and the playing is a musical offering
Michael Slon
- Performers must make sure they are going to take the performance seriously, and be ready to adapt to the environment
- Musicians must represent themselves and the music well, and make their music enjoyable to listen to
- A spirit of service is helpful, and an understanding that here musicians can make a difference to others in ways not always available in a concert hall setting
Jeanne Jackson
- The #1 thing that indicates if a musician is ready is if they are practicing smart
- If a musician has "accepted the discipline of practice" and has some performance experience, they are probably emotionally mature enough to handle playing at the ECCCC
- Mid-intermediate or higher music level is recommended
Heather Hightower
- The musician must have independence in communication
- The musician must be independent enough to recognize that the performance is not about them
- The musician (if they are a younger person) must be comfortable interacting professionally with adults
Grant Frazier
- The musician must not only be a great musician, but a great volunteer; someone, "who is willing to go above and beyond to provide great compassion and understanding in order to bring a sense of healing to the hospital atmosphere. These individuals continue to provide value to the patients and hospital staff by bringing music and compassion to those who truly need it most."
Lastly, here's a little advice from me:
- The musician must be prepared for an engaged performance; meaning, the musician will have more to think about than just the music (noises and distractions, being sensitive and polite)
- The musician must be extremely comfortable with their music
- The musician is high school age or older
- Additionally, I recommend that a music instructor be present during a student's first performance at the ECCCC; this may make the experience more comfortable for the musician and help the performance run smoothly.
The more mentally and musically prepared a musician is for a performance at the ECCCC, the easier it will feel. These suggested guidelines will help to ensure that musicians are prepared and will feel comfortable sharing music in the ECCCC.