How do I qualify for a Concert In Your Living Room?

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There are several main ways that CIYLR events are made available. There are many variations withing these three frameworks.

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1. Simple donation: One simple way is to plan to make a non-trivial donation to a charity, contact the charity and Dave with your intention to donate, confirm it’s a valid 501C3 organization.  Make the donation, and after the charity acknowledges receipt of it, work with Dave to create an event, invite guests, and the charity leadership.

2. Plan a CIYLR with guest donation: A supporter works with Dave to identify a worthy cause, and we work together with the development officer or a fundraising committee on the board of directors to create one or more events to benefit the charity.  The difference here is that your guests join the host in donating to the charity. In the 2025 year, three charities used this approach with significant success: Dinosaur Annex Contemporary Music Ensemble, Fanfare for Music in Harvard, and the Quincy Animal Shelter.

3. Charity offers continuous CIYLR as a part of the fund raising operation:  Several organizations offer a CIYLR when a donor contributes at a specified level; this kind of offering is usually incorporated into the charity’s donor pages on their website. The best example can be found at https://www.fivesparks.org/ciylr-faq/.  In this case, the donor receives the CIYLR, and either treats their guests to the event, or asks guests to supplement the donation.

4. Auction: Occasionally, Dave will consent to donating a CIYLR to a service auction or fund drive auction.  The charity contacts Dave requesting a CIYLR donation to be bid on, where the winning bidder is awarded the CIYLR. We consider auction donations only when we think the charity has a client base that can support significant donations, or if it is a preferred charity type (all humane causes and animal protection, rescues and shelters, some churches, arts organizations). Auctions tend not to be very productive, because there is usually a single donor, and too often the donor chooses not to redeem their CIYLR.

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May I schedule the concert on a specific date?

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Yes, subject to availability. Concert scheduling is flexible on a “first come, first served” basis and must be arranged directly with Dave, based on mutual availability and preferences. You can plan your concert for any occasion that suits you best (see below about restrictions). In cases 1, 3  and 4 above, the concert must be scheduled to take place within one calendar year of acknowledgement of the donation. In case 2, the event is usually scheduled to take place within 8-12 weeks of initial planning.

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What is a sample timeline of at CIYLR?

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A typical successful CIYLR event has three sections as listed below. Many variations also work. A typical event lasts about 3 hours.

1. Guest arrival and social mingling. This is the time you put on your invitations. Dave mingles with guests beforehand also. If you choose to offer refreshments, let your guests enjoy them as they settle in. 30-45 minutes.

2. Concert takes place: the guests find their seats (with or without drinks or other refreshments). Dave plays the concert, with plenty of opportunities for guests to refill a glass or take another cracker.   75 minutes.

3. Post-concert socializing, with plenty of time for questions for Dave. 45-60 minutes.

 

More to come soon.