Senior centers get a lot of folks coming through and singing during the winter holidays, but how many elders get the pleasure of hearing young musicians at other times of the year?

MENC member Gretta Sandberg of Haycock Elementary School and McLean High in McLean, Virginia, has more than 200 music students. She encourages them to perform in the local area often. She even jazzes up orchestra fundraising carwashes by having her high school musicians play on the corner near the carwash location. The musicians also perform at a number of school and local events, and they can get extra credit for these efforts.

In mid-August, Sandberg’s advanced Chamber Strings ensemble ended a four-day camp and retreat at Bear Mountain in western Virginia near Monterey with a concert for people in the area. The event was held at the Highland Center, a community venue for arts and other events. Many appreciative locals and visitors attended the concert, and the young musicians were gratified at the response.

Sandberg notes, "Playing free concerts in local communities is a win-win situation for student musicians. There's no down side to this kind of activity.”

Such performances also give your music program a visible presence in the community.

Resource:  Performing outside the school? What are the ground rules for not stepping on the toes of professional musicians in your area? What's legal, and what's not? Check out  the "Music Code of Ethics," available online at http://menc.org/about/view/the-music-code-of-ethics

—Ella Wilcox, August 27, 2008, © 2008 by MENC: The National Association for Music Education (www.menc.org)