Musical Biographies Program
Volunteer Application 

Thank you for your interest in becoming a volunteer at Villa Musica.  We are excited about creating a vibrant community music center and our volunteers play a critical role in Villa Musica’s on-going success. 

Musical Biographies™ is a program that uses music and art

to bring memories to life!

In partnership with the UCSD Shiley-Marcos Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, Villa Musica created Musical Biographies™. This program was designed to bring together people with all forms of dementia, their care-givers, and family in a unique multi-sensorial experience that centers around music and memory. Musical Biographies™ is a 6-week workshop that provides small groups of individuals the opportunity to create memory books inspired by their musical playlist. Participants work with Musical Biographies facilitators, care givers, and extended family members to identify music that inspires memory: memory of an important occasion, an event, an era, and then design and decorate a personal biography that brings their musical choices to life.

The success of the program has led to its expansion offering programming for independent seniors, multi-generational families and adults living with development disabilities or mental health issues.

Read more about the benefits of music therapy programs like Musical Biographies™ in this article by the San Diego Union Tribune.

Roles, Responsibilities and Duties of Musical Biographies Volunteers

1. Attend training sessions as deemed appropriate by the Program Manager.
2. Review materials on ADRC trainings annually.
3. Commit to all six weeks of a session and timely attendance at same in order to build rapport with the facility staff and current participants.
4. Arrive 20 minutes before the program begins to assist with setting up materials, preparing snacks, etc. each week of the six week session.
5. Welcome participants in a warm, friendly manner.
6. During the program engage participants and caregivers in the activities at hand and refocus to task at hand as necessary.
7. Assist lead music facilitator in musical activities as needed (pass out instruments, model engagement, clean up, etc.)
8. Engage participants and caregivers in conversation that engages memory, musical recall and life experiences. Provide relief for caregivers as needed.
9. Assist lead visual arts facilitator by passing out materials, assisting participants as needed, actively engaging participant in hands on art activity, facilitating biography curation, providing clean water, fresh materials, etc.
10. Upon completion of our time together each week do not rush participants but warmly wrap up the day.
11. Clean up all materials and leave the location as you found it.
12. Debrief the lead facilitator on any concerns or issues observed regarding participants or caregivers.
13. Have FUN!

Thank you for your commitment to our community music center. We will be in touch soon!