MusicAid November Newsletter
Inspiring Joy
As November ends, MusicAid wishes everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. We hope your bellies are full and you enjoy this short break! This Thanksgiving, we are very thankful for all of our volunteers, nursing homes, and supporters! You are what makes everything possible.
Our Music Highlights
- Hosted 5 concerts in senior homes across Maryland, Virginia, and Massachusetts.
11/2 Concert at Raphael House, MD
11/08 Concert at Victory Court, MD
11/15 Concert at Bartholomew House, MD
11/15 Concert at Waterstone, Lexington, MA
11/22 Concert at Raphael House, MD
End of the Year Ceremony and New Attendance Policy
MusicAid will be hosting our second ever Annual End of the Year Ceremony on December 6th, 2025. We are hosting this event to express our endless gratitude for everyone we have worked with over the years.
We have invited 50 of our most dedicated volunteers as well as many esteemed figures that have contributed to MusicAid and music in MCPS as a whole. While the PVSA is currently on pause, we still want to honor and celebrate the people that make this organization possible.
Our ceremony will feature performances from many of our boardmembers as well as an awards ceremony; dinner and refreshments will also be provided. If you did not make the cut this year, do not fret! There will be many other opportunities in the future to earn awards. MusicAid is thankful for all of our volunteers. We are excited to celebrate with you!
Importantly for our volunteers, starting in December, we now have a new attendance policy. We understand that volunteers may experience conflicts with the timing of the concert and may therefore need to leave early, or arrive late.
However, in the future, volunteers who are more than 10 minutes late, or do not stay for the entire hour will not be able to receive full SSL hours. Also, volunteers must inform the host in advance if complications arise, and they cannot attend the concert they signed up for.
We hope this new attendance policy encourages a better culture of respect for the seniors, as well as for the other volunteers and the hosts that organize each concert. As our concerts only last for an hour, we feel this request is reasonable. We appreciate your understanding!
Concerts in November
November was full of talented performances across instruments and genres. One performer that we want to highlight is 6th grader, Amelia Rice, for her stunning performance of "Both Sides, Now" by Joni Mitchell.
Mitchell, who released her debut album in 1968, has been an iconic and acclaimed singer since. While she is best known for her critically acclaimed album, Blue, the rest of her discography is as beautiful and serene. The singer has made waves in folk music, but has also explored jazz influences. She is known for her personal and introspective lyricism but also compositions that break convention.
"Both Sides, Now" is a song that is one of Mitchell's best-known, and has been recorded by dozens of artists. It was also featured in Rolling Stone's 2004 ranking of its 500 Greatest Songs. Amelia sang this song angelically, doing it justice that we are sure Mitchell herself would be proud of.
Additionally, we are proud to announce that MusicAid has hosted another concert in Boston, MA, this month. This is our second ever concert at Waterstone, Lexington, in Massachussetts. The concert was very lively and the seniors were very warm and receptive. We are proud of our progress and we hope to continue expanding and to further strengthen our branch in Massachussetts. To many more concerts in the future!
YouTube Picks of the Month
MusicAid is looking for Boston Board Members and Volunteers
Concert Schedule
*Please note that these dates and times may change due to holidays or other circumstances. The final schedule will be based on the registration form.
Upcoming Concerts
12/7 Sun 2:00pm-3:00pm, Raphael House Assisted Living, 1515 Dunster Rd Rockville, MD 20854
12/13 Sat 2:00pm-3:00pm, Victory Court, 209 Monroe Street, Rockville Maryland 20850
12/20 Sat 10:30am-11:30am, Bartholomew House, 6904 River Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20817
12/27 Sat 11:00am-12:00pm, Raphael House Assisted Living, 1515 Dunster Rd Rockville, MD 20854
1/4 Sun 2:00pm-3:00pm, Raphael House Assisted Living, 1515 Dunster Rd Rockville, MD 20854
1/10 Sat 2:00pm-3:00pm, Victory Court, 209 Monroe Street, Rockville Maryland 20850
1/17 Sat 10:30am-11:30am, Bartholomew House, 6904 River Rd, Bethesda, MD, 20817
1/24 Sat 11:00am-12:00pm, Raphael House Assisted Living, 1515 Dunster Rd Rockville, MD 20854
Additional Info!
Our YouTube channel now has 498 subscribers! Thank you so much to all who have subscribed! Our channel is linked here:
Additionally, we are finally active on our Instagram. Follow us at @musicaid.us or click here:
When Will I Receive My SSL Hours?
SSL hours earned from concerts during 2025 Summer (6/1/2025 - 8/31/2025) will be awarded by 9/1/2025 via email.
SSL hours earned from concerts during 2025-2026 Semester 1 (9/1/2025 - 12/31/2025) will be awarded by 1/1/2026 via email.
SSL hours earned from concerts during 2025-2026 Semester 2 (1/1/2026 - 5/26/2026) will be awarded by 5/27/2026 via email.
SSL hours earned from concerts during 2026 Summer (5/27/2026 - 8/31/2026) will be awarded by 9/1/2026 via email.
*For FCPS and Lexington High School Students, please submit your hours online following your school’s instructions.