FMMC Outreach Program

Elizabeth Whitman, Outreach Director
outreach@fmmc.org

Providing free outreach concerts is a highly valued part of the Club’s mission. The FMMC Outreach Program serves community, retirement, and nursing centers throughout Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC. Whether you are preparing yourself or your FMMC students for a formal recital, testing out new material, reminiscing over old material, looking for more playing time, or hoping to introduce FMMC to new communities, the Outreach Program is a vehicle for you to express yourself and to shine a light on FMMC. Residents and clients of these facilities rarely have the opportunity to hear live classical music and greatly appreciate our programs. FMMC members, both individuals and ensembles, volunteer their time for the program.

How To Participate

FMMC players and singers perform small-ensemble concerts of approximately 30 to 45 minutes at senior facilities, libraries, and churches, and other nontraditional concert spaces. Participating venues have reserved specific dates and times for FMMC Outreach performances. The following venues are participating this season:

• Arlington Central Library Memory Cafe, VA
• Bender JCC of Greater Washington, Rockville, MD
• Brighton Gardens of Friendship Heights, MD
• Friends Club of Bethesda, MD
• Homecrest House, Silver Spring, MD
• Providence of Fairfax, VA
• Sunrise Senior Living, Washington DC
• Walter Reed Community Center Memory Cafe, Arlington, VA

Sign Up Here!

To perform at one or more of these venues, please click here to sign up.

Guidelines for Preparing an Outreach Performance

A discussion between the volunteer and the venue contact person can help in achieving a mutually satisfactory performance.

• Ascertain room size, acoustics, temperature, quietness.
• Identify the audience: low or high functioning, a mix of both? Likely size?
• Find out whether the venue contact person or another staff member will introduce the performers and be on hand to close the performance?
• Confirm the date and arrival time, directions to the site, and to whom the performers should report.
• Identify a performer in your group who will interact with the audience, including a description of each program item. Engaging informally with the audience is a vital part of your performance.

Program and Ensemble Creation

Volunteer performers are responsible for making contacts with other musicians to set up a program of more than one player. Musicians who are not FMMC members may perform with you.

Should you wish to seek other players for the purpose of forming an outreach ensemble, you may send an email to all FMMC members at allmembers2026@fmmc.org or request a notice in the FMMC monthly newsletter about your interest in creating an ensemble.

Performance Reporting

FMMC volunteers who have played at Outreach sites are asked to report on their performances to outreach@fmmc.org, including dates, names of Club participants, and feedback. This allows us to document the extent of this important community service, as well as provide valuable information about the experience.

Contact

Elizabeth Whitman, Outreach Director
outreach@fmmc.org