Volunteer Musicians
Tips For A Successful Audition Video
Technology Suggestions
- Film in landscape orientation for the best visual and please make sure you (and your instrument) are completely in frame.
- Video quality does not need to be professional and could be recorded on a phone, computer or tablet.
- MOC recommends filming your audition and completing your application on the same device. If you must use separate devices, we recommend emailing the file to yourself or saving it to a Google Drive folder that you can access on all devices.
- Please upload files that are no larger than 400 MB. Large files may take longer to load—we appreciate your patience.
What to Include
- Your video should be between 2-5 minutes in length, including one full song and your answers to the questions below.
- Prepare concise, thoughtful responses to the questions, but please avoid reading answers directly from a pre-written script.
- Introduce yourself! It may seem like a given but we want to get a feel for your personality and recommend you speak to the camera like you would for an interview.
Performance Requirements
- Play acoustic, hospital-friendly music and use the instrument(s) you would use while volunteering in the hospital. “Hospital-friendly music” means lyrical content that avoids any references to Heaven, death, crying, dying, loneliness, sadness, religion, drugs, alcohol, or anything sexual.
- All band/duo members or accompanists must play together in their audition but submit separate applications. You can submit the same video as long as everyone is in it.
- If you are able, please perform while standing as that is generally how volunteers perform in hospital rooms.
- If interested in playing for children, please include a kid-friendly sample in addition to an adult music sample. Lullabies are encouraged.
Questions to Answer on Camera
- Why do you want to volunteer with MOC and why is volunteering important to you?
- Do you have experience in the hospital environment? If not, do you feel comfortable speaking and interacting directly with patients who may be visibly ill or injured?
- What makes you a good fit for this program?
- Describe a challenge you think you might encounter during a volunteer shift and how you would handle it.
- If interested in working with children or a specific demographic, tell us why and any experience you may have working or volunteering with that demographic.
