Piano recitals are a great way to showcase all that your students have learned over the past few months. Yet for many, recitals can be a source of frustration and fear.
In all cases, it starts with the instructor, and how you approach recital day. If you make it joyful and full of fun, it will be a day that both your students and their families look forward to and appreciate in many ways.
Looking for a few ways to make it even more fun? We’ve found these tips from many successful instructors throughout our community.
Never Hold The Same Recital Twice
Recitals are always a mixture of young and old, beginning, intermediate and advanced. Which means you’ll always have someone at each level, capable of playing only a few songs at any given time. Your advanced students and families can quickly grow bored if they know they’ll hear the same songs at every recital, so mix it up instead. Mix classical with popular songs. Have duets to help motivate two students with similar skill. Ask if any student plays another instrument in school; they may be willing to add that to the mix as well. Or even focus in on a theme – how about having every student play a song from Les Miserables or Harry Potter? This also gives you a theme for a small party afterwards.
Recitals Can Be Community Events
Recitals are usually held in the instructors location, but they don’t have to be. If you have a community rec center in your neighborhood, why not rent it out for the afternoon and post flyers? Some nursing homes also have large gathering rooms with pianos, and would welcome the opportunity for a performance from players of all ages. Kids always feel great when they play for their families, but it can be equally rewarding to receive praise from others too.
Costumes Are Great
These work well with a theme recital. Instead of putting on your symphony best, have each person dress up like a character from the movies, and play the theme song from the movie. Then you can have parents and family guess who each child is, and even have a contest for the best character.
Piano Request
Instead of having each child play in order to a specific schedule, have a free roaming recital instead. Set up a mini café in which parents, family and friends can stroll through the café and have coffee, tea and dessert. Students can play in any order they choose, and play as often as they wish. Just make sure they are courteous to all, and each student is offered an equal chance at performing. If a student is up to it, they can even take special requests to show off their talents even more.
Involve The Family
Does a student’s mom, dad or grandparent play the piano? Why not let them play a duet together? It will hold special meaning for them and their loved one’s and make the recital even more memorable.
Team Bach vs Team Beethoven
People tend to migrate towards a specific type of music. Divide your students up into equal groups and present based on interests. Presentations should be short, but they should work together to showcase talent and music from one specific composer. Then they compete against each other to see who has the better music … all in fun of course. The key is keeping the audience more engaged, and the students having fun and appreciating music in a new way.
Give Them A Gift
Visit the dollar store or section at your local big box store. You’ll find things year round that you can use as small gift ideas. You can have picture day with the recital and put each student’s picture in an individualized frame. Or have a small craft project that’s music themed and can be completed very quickly at the end of the performance. In some cases you can even find items that will help you carry out a theme – how about Aloha days where everyone wears Hawaiian shirts and drinks from a coconut glass? Use your imagination and have your guests commenting it was the best recital ever!
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