I have been invited by a Nursery Home to perform for a 25 minutes session during their Christmas show this year. The Audience will be approx. 80 Seniors (age 60 - 90) with their families and also the staffs, totol will be approx. 250... Its going to be in a Indoor School Hall with speakers etc. Other part of the show includes Magic performance, Dancing performance, short drama etc. The Seniors will also participate in some of the performances.

This is my first real performance ever after 8 years of playing (on and off until 3 years ago).. I never played in front of such a large group before (I did play in Church gatherings in groups of 15 to 20 when I am in University)

I still have 2 months to decide but I am not sure if I should go... I am afraid of a disaster and other unexpected situations... I don't want to ruin their Christmas party cause its one of their big event of the year...... should I go or not??

Anyone can share their experience for the first performance?? Is the group too large for a first timer??

If I am going, I am thinking of playing some Christmas songs, a few solos and also some songs for everyone to sing along... any suggestions?

Ed,

A great chance for u to get performing experience. Make good use of it!

Since they are all senior citizens, old songs might be recommended & preferely classic Mandarin or contonese, but if they can appreciate English, that is fine too. U wud not want to do a Backstreet boys song there. I think some of Roger Wang's Mandarin songs are very suitable. See if I can get any tabs fm him next week.

Currently, what are the songs, both vocals & instrumentals, that u can play now? Lets see whthr it can be suitable.

I think playing the songs that u are very familiar is important, be it simple arrangement or not. But if u hv six mths to prepare, perhaps can try one of two new ones.

No X'mas performance is complete, without a X'mas songs to go along. There's many X'mas book available for guitars. I see if i can find some good one fm our local store here.

Hope tis help!

Tomcat makes good points.

First, do it! It's great opportunity. There's no chance you will ruin anyone's party. My experience with volunteer performances has been good. All the volunteers were appreciated, even if they were not perfect, or even very good.

Second, find something that the people will like. It is better to have simple songs they like than complex, fancy ones they don't. In the US, Christmas songs are pretty easy. There are many known and liked by most folks. I'm not very worldly, so I don't know if the same songs would be known in Hong Kong. I sure don't know any Mandarin. I have a couple fake books with simple chords and words. I've made copies for our own family Christmas sing alongs so everyone can have a copy of the words. Although many people know the words, having copies keeps everyone in the same place, and although many know the first verse, sometimes that's it. If you want 2 or 3 verses, print out the words.

Have fun with this. Christmas performances and sing-alongs are fun.

By all means, Ed: go for it! It is an experience everyone should know to have an extra pint of adrenalin racing around your bloodstream!

Just kidding. This should be a great setting for a first gig. Rockerbob is right: in this kind of setting, just about everyone will be appreciative and supportive.

My tips: if you can, play things folks are likely to be familiar with, and practice what you select thoroughly so you can play the songs even with the nerves that are common to all of us.

Good luck!

B

ed,
every open mic or performance i have ever done has started off with the silliest song i know. also, i make sure it is one with only about 3 chords. the last open mic i played was at a trendy coffee shop in omaha. i played a decendents song. i don't think that anyone there knew it but i was comfortable with it and it made it easier to overcome my nervousness.
however, you are going to be playing in front of old people. my wife works at a nursing home. better yet, she works in the alzheimers wing. most people in oldfolks homes are 1-overly happy that someone has taken their time to come and play guitar for them or 2- in the beginning stages of dementia: they won't remember a thing! good luck, you'll do fine.

Ed,

I too wl be hving Lunar new year performance at my Buddhist society. I wl be the guitar player of course & my fellow society frens wl be the vocals accompliments.

I hv chosen one of that classic new year song "DA DI Hui CHUN", if u get that one. The rhythm wl be played in the style of Chet Atkins' boom chic. I hv it figured out in my mind tis style long ago & glad to hv the chance to perform. I wl also do a solo instrumental of the verse, which I hv worked halfway thru. This wl be to highlight that Chet Atkins legacy to everyone.

The guitar to be used wl be my coming C10 fitted wif Scheller pickup. I wl hv to get an amp soon & it wl be a AEX.

This wl also be my first big public performance & I kinda excited & not to mention nervousness perhap. Lotsa preparations need to be sorted out, esp the vocal co-ordination wif my guitar.....