Musical cancer fundraiser?

I think that is a terrific idea. Contact the public relations person or the administrator of the hospital and explain what you are wanting to do. They would probably be willing to help you advertise your concert.

I am assuming that you are planning a concert as the basis of your fund raising project. If so, and you are using copyrighted music in the performances, then make sure all monies raised are in the form of a donation since public performance of copyrighted music is regulated by performance rights organizations such as ASCAP. If you are doing this in an educational setting then check with your administration since many colleges, universities and some public schools pay a yearly performance fee to be able to charge for tickets.

Set up a table or tables at the entrances to the auditorium with nice signs requesting a donation and what it is for. Make sure the tables are manned after the concert too because some people may decide during the concert to donate when they leave.

If some of the older children at the hospital were well enough to attend it might be a nice touch to invite them to the concert and set aside a special section just for them. It exposes them to classical music and lets the audience see what their donations are going for.

Best of luck on your project. If you do it, let us know how it turns out.

Musician, composer, teacher.

Weird, I just did this last night. All five school orchestras in our school district got together and played, and in the middle of the performance we passed baskets around for fighting cancer. Most people put about a dollar in, and we ended up raising over 400 dollars. We call it Cabaret. It's always a lot of fun, not only to hear all the music, but to see the difference in playing between the younger students and the older students :)

Maybe you could give a fun, laid-back recital with your students, perhaps with drinks and cookies and such, and have them play whatever they want, whether it's Vivaldi or The Beatles. Then pass a basket around sometime in the middle and explain that you're raising money for the cancer ward at the children's hospital. :)

I've never done it for cancer, but we always have our concerts be a "donation" to enter as opposed to a ticket or just free. If you say that all procedes for your concert will go to the cancer ward the money will pile in.