Community service hours

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>My son has been interested in performing politically suppressed piano music. He learned, performed, recorded, and published the music on Youtube. This is an example:</p>

<p>Silenced</a> but not silent (1): Maggio Suite, I (by Bunya Koh/Wen-Yeh Chiang/Wen-Ye Jiang) - YouTube</p>

<p>Since this is service to the (particularly music) community, I suppose this counts toward community service; my son's HS has a community service requirement of 250 hours over 4 years. Am I right on this?</p>

<p>If so, how to count the hours for the service? My son has spent about 40-50 hours learning the three pieces for the series so far. It took about 1-2 hours for the taping. It took him another 1 hour for publishing and writing the note/video description.</p>

<p>Thanks in advance.</p>

<p>When my D performed in a nursing home or in a recital for non-profit organizations, she only counted the hours she performed as community service, not the hours she learned the music.</p>

<p>Now that she is a collaborative pianist, she charges her clients only rehearsal and performance time not the hours she spent to learn/refreshen the music.</p>

<p>ABCvermonter, I would present this information to the school and ask their policy. If it’s not part of his regular repertoire and is truly a project of his own I would tend to count those hours more liberally than if, for example, he did a benefit concert and used standard repertoire that he would have prepared anyway, in the course of this education.</p>

<p>You may have to state this distinction very clearly to the school, as they may not understand it unless they have a background in music education.</p>

<p>My D’s school would not have counted that. Only hours spent actually involved with the public ok some way were eligible. I agree with glassharmonica though, talk to the school’s administration.</p>

<p>One of my kids was in a dance performance focused on a political issue related to service. She counted hours of rehearsal and reading in preparation for the performance, as well as the performance.</p>

<p>Thank you all for your experiences and suggestions. Now we have a much better idea about how to proceed. Thanks again.</p>