I'm thinking about playing my viola at a local old folks home, and have been trying to work out what to play. I have a few ideas of my own, but would really like advice from anyone who has done this sort of thing before about what pieces are most successful.

As old people have differing musical tastes just like anyone else, I wanted to include different types of pieces, including some that they can sing along to. If I manage to get myself organised before Christmas I could also play a few carols.

I was thinking of including some folk/ traditional (e.g. O Danny Boy), some ragtime, some Baroque (e.g. the Chorale from Bach's Wachet Auf and some movements from Bach's cello suites), some other classical pieces (e.g. Liszt's Liebestraum), some songs from the musicals (but I'm not sure which ones are most popular), some film music and some wartime songs (again, I'm not sure which ones would work best).

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

How lovely! DO play the Londonderry Air (Danny Boy). I used to go busking with my violin and that was all I ever played, and the old folks used to crowd around and hum along to it.....it's a v. popular choice!

Definitely play some wartime songs as well - I can imagine that the White Cliffs of Dover would go down really well, and maybe some Glen Miller tunes like A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square

The ones that I have had success with are Little Donkey, Little Drummer-boy and O Holy Night. These always seem to get lots of swingle singers joining in. Have fun; it is a lovely idea.

I came across the website for Maggie Moon (1980 Eurovision runner up) while looking for the score for that performance (I found it) - and I remembered that she had produced an album of songs popular during the 40s. This list might be useful - http://www.moonrivermusic.co.uk/5.html

How lovely! Such a good idea. We used to visit various old folks homes every C'mas and they were SO happy to see us and our gifts. Folk and traditional tunes are very popular!

Sorry off-topic, but she was a Eurovision runner-up? Blimey She was the singer on "Name That Tune" (cheesy music based quiz show in the 1980s), and my dad fancied her!

As you said folks songs always go down well. How about the Skye Boat Song?

For war songs try "It's a long way to Tipperary" always a crowd favourie when I do stuff like that



HK x

My elderly relatives love it when the girls take an insrument to their house. I'm often amazed at the stuff they know and attempt to sing along to. I would imagine Sound of Music songs might also be popular.

Thanks everyone for the encouraging comments and suggestions. I will definely include some of the songs suggested. I was a bit unsure about wartime songs as I don't want to play anything that will bring back bad memories for them and make them upset, but it sounds as if they enjoy them anyway.

I will have to sort out my music now, work out a program and maybe print out copies of the words to some of the songs for them, so they can join in. I also want to memorise most of what I am going to play as I think I will be able to communicate better if I do, but that could be a bit of a challenge.

I'm not sure how long I should aim to play for. I was thinking of about 30 minutes as I don't want my audience to get bored.

Thirty mins is the maximum, I would say! Twenty was our ideal. Hey, PV, there is a funny wartime song VN likes to play called Hey Little Hen and the elderly folks came up to me at school and told me they absolutely loved it when she swung it out!! I had missed it all as usual - babysitting. It's about some starving fella begging a hen to lay him an egg for his tea!

If youre doing Londonderry Air, why not redress the balace with the Irish Republic, by doing Galway Bay !
(no Im not Irish!)