“Practice-a-Thon”: Set a Resolution this January!

This January, we challenge you to set a New Year’s Resolution in your music studies and participate in our “Practice-a-Thon” Practice Challenge, open to all NBS students! All proceeds go towards the NBSCMI, our 501(c)(3) nonprofit arm that supports students through scholarships, organizes competitions, student and faculty concerts for the greater community including local retirement homes, gala events, and special masterclasses by leading Philadelphia musicians.

Participating students will get recognition for their practicing and philanthropy on our website and Facebook page: we will post a list of all participants. Our top fundraisers and students who practiced the most hours will receive prizes donated by Jacobs Music, Wegmans, Zesto Pizza, and other local businesses!  

We encourage all “Practice-a-thon” participants to join our private FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/200844531173983/ and post a video of their student performing their piece(s) before the practice challenge and after so that you can go back later and listen to how much progress you made!

How the “Practice-a-thon” works:

Students raise money while practicing hard! We recommend the following practice duration:

• For students under 8: 30 minutes to 1 hour per day – 3.5 hours to 7 hours a week
• For students ages 8-9: 1 hour to 1 ½ hours per day – 7 hours to 10.5 hours a week
• For students ages 10-12: 1 ½ to 2 hours per day – 10.5 hours to 14 hours a week
• For students over 12 – 2 to 3 hours per day – 14 hours to 21 hours a week
• But we also love to see our students go above and beyond!

“Practice-a-thon” dates:

• Pick up Practice-a-thon packets – January 4-10
  • Available from the NBS office, or via download below
• Collect pledges and donations – January 4-31
  • Ask parents, relatives, parents’ coworkers, neighbors, or friends, anyone that you know, to sponsor you!
• Practice! –  January 11-31
  • Track and write down practiced minutes
• Collect cash & checks – February 1-8 
  • Collect the pledged cash and checks from sponsors, or ask them to donate online
• Turn in packets –  February 1-8 
  • Practice sheets and donation envelopes can be turned into the NBS office in-person, via mail, or scanned to office@nbsmusic.com

Who to ask:

• Parents
• Grandparents
• Family members
• Friends
• Neighbors
• Local businesses
• Teachers
• Anyone that you know!

How to ask for pledges:

“Hello, I study music at the Nelly Berman School of Music. We are holding a Practice-a-thon to raise money for our scholarship program. I’ll be practicing for (your goal) minutes over the next [two or three] weeks! Would you be willing to support me and donate?”

Recommended & example pledges:

• You can ask to be sponsored for one, two, or three weeks of your hard work!
• We recommend $0.10-$0.50 for each minute practiced (e.g. $0.10 x 630 minutes (10.5 hours) per week = $63 per week)
• Flat donations of $10, $20, $50, $100 – or any other amount!

As a community that encourages musical excellence and supports hard work, we will be thrilled to see our students support our unique nonprofit 501(c)(3) scholarship fund while also practicing hard to become better musicians.

Prize categories:

Thank you to the following businesses for supporting our event!