The Music Performance Trust Fund has a long-standing tradition of providing music entertainment for senior citizens. Although older enthusiasts enjoy our park events, community concerts, and symphonic performances, we have strived to connect more deeply and more intimately with our aging population, who face growing economic, mobility, and social challenges.
The power of music to bring joy, purpose, connectivity, and healing to our older brothers and sisters is immeasurable. We provide grants for professional musicians to perform in hospitals, social centers, and retirement homes throughout the U.S. and Canada. Our partnering musicians provide musical memories, nostalgia, and active social events that stimulate greater community among our most venerable populous.
Over 2,500 musicians have participated in MusicianFest events including recording artist Rosanne Cash, pictured with Dan Beck, MPTF Trustee.
MusicianFest Inaugural Performance
In 2015, the MPTF developed a program called MusicianFest as an umbrella covering senior center/assisted living facility/hospital performances. Our goal was a lofty one, to initiate 500 solo musician performances across North America.
With the help of a grant from The Film Funds, the MPTF connected American Federation of Musicians locals with the selected senior centers and that mission was accomplished! As MPTF revenues have grown over the past five years, we doubled our commitment to the senior initiative. By our fiscal 2019-20 year, we funded 1,334 MusicianFest events.
As live musical performances came to a halt in the spring of 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, senior facilities were engaged in a tragic crisis. Due to safety requirements for senior audiences and the musicians, only 243 performances could be launched that year. Gradually, the efforts by all parties involved resulted in 1,182 MusicianFest concerts this past fiscal year.
To date, over 5,000 MusicianFest performances have been played and over 5,000 professional musicians have been paid …And over 250,000 seniors have been entertained!
Click on the link to view our short, feel-good documentary “MusicianFest: Never Too Old.” Imagine what it might mean to just one senior… to hear one song… that brought back one great memory… at just one of our performances!