After receiving some useful and, above all friendly, replies from all you good people in keyboard land I've got enough courage to ask, what some of you may think is a silly question. How does one make the transition from playing for personal enjoyment as an amateur, to playing semi-pro e.g. for old-folks homes etc ?. I've "mucked-about" at home for years now but I've often thought it would be nice to play for others, provided of course, that I'm good enough. I'm used to playing music in public as principal Eb bass player in the local brass band, but the nature of that particular instrument means that I rarely play any solos. I've got a good day job as a software engineer, so any engagements I may get would be mostly for fun.

Do you talented people think I'm being stupid, or is it worth trying to find a small gig or 2 ?. I can't play by ear, I've got to have the music in front of me.

Looking forward to some lively debate & ideas.

Keith

Keith...
For the most part, nursing homes, rest homes and assisted living facilities really appreciate live entertainment. While I am a professional player, I only started doing homes for the elders a few months ago to expand into some daytime work. And, I have found the homes are not all the same, by any means. Some cater to the wealthy. Others cater to folks of way less means. I charge a nominal fee to those who can afford it...and do some shows gratis for those who can't. Regardless of compensation, I find my efforts to be rewarding.

My suggestion for getting started is: contact a couple of the homes in your area. Ask for the Activities Director and tell him/her what you are considering. Ask if you can come in and see some of the entertainment they are providing.

There are many other things I could add here, but you really should see for yourself what it is like before you go any further.

If, after experiencing it first hand, you decide you want to go further, I would be happy to share with you my experiences and tips.

Eddie

Keith,
An excellent question. It sounds like one of those question that everyone wanted to ask but was waiting for someone else to ask it. I understand where you are coming from both as a software engineer, as well as being a professional magician (peformer).
I agree with Eddie about different places wanting the entertainment. There is usually a person in those facilities that handles the entertainment. Contact them and see what their schedule is like and when would be a good time to perform there. Most are ususally looking for entertainment throughout the year and have many "volunteer" entertainers around the holiday times.
Try a few places out and see how you like it. Do not go by just one time since you have to match the audience with what you are doing. I found after playing piano at an old age home in NYC once they wanted different music than what I had memorized. I then got more music for that type of performance and the next time was a big hit. You never know.
When I perform for any kind of charity work I explain what my fee is and then explain that I will be giving them a "donation" for the full amount. We then trade checks at that time. This way you are not working for free and you are making a donation to a worthy cause at the same time. The people also have a better feeling for what they are getting. You can do this if you are comfortable with the idea after you get established.
I enjoy performing (whether magic or music) around and tell people that I get invited to parties and paid for it! It is a good feeling. If you see one person singing along you know you did a good job.
Keep us posted on what you do.
- Brian

Hi Keith,

of course there are as many ways as there are members on this forum.
The way my wife and I started, was at a friends party. And yes I played everything from sheet music. Except one song, nothing was memorized. Big deal. Nobody noticed/cared. We did a couple of other parties, then we found enough courage to ask for a gig at a local piano bar, where we used to hang out.

Think about the way that makes you most comfortable, so you can get the hang of it.

Don't worry about the sheet music, as long as you are playing with your heart, people will respond to it.

The main thing is that you have fun, no matter what you do. Especially in the beginning, for positive encouragement and reinforcement.

Hope this helps a little.

Eric