Every year, our studio holds a student concert / recital where students perform one or two pieces that they have learnt during the year. During the lockdown years, we did these virtually and it is wonderful that we have been able to do them in-person again these past couple of years.
Of course, a lot of my students loved the virtual format because I pre-recorded their performances which took away a lot of the pressure, and there is something very fun about a “video shoot”. We definitely had great laughs during those times and the kids still ask me from time to time if we can do another virtual one. However, there is so much value in the process of preparing for a live performance, and in the performance itself, that I haven’t acquiesced to this request as yet.
It’s always so interesting to see the differences in approach in the lead up to a recital between the younger students and older ones. The younger ones tend to brim with confidence and are mostly excited to be able to play for their family, whereas the older students really feel the pressure to perfect and to play well not only for themselves, but for their parents and peers as well.
The weeks leading up to this year’s recital definitely involved a lot of discussion with nervous students about preparation, self-talk, and how to frame their thoughts about judgment from others.
As a teacher, there is a sense of pride (and relief!) to see each student up on stage, embracing the challenge of live performance. This is particularly the case for students who, at the outset of preparations, truly believed that they couldn’t do it – proclaimed that they wouldn’t do it – and then ended up on stage with great performances. Not a single student has ever opted out and I think the key to this is to start discussions and preparations early enough so that you can work through all of their fears in time. It’s such a character developing exercise and I think recitals are invaluable in providing this learning opportunity to students, equipping them with skills that can be applied to other areas of life.
Music From the Movies Theme
I chose the theme of “Music from the Movies” this year for three reasons. Firstly, it set an additional challenge for students (and for us teachers) to select and prepare new pieces, rather than choose from repertoire they had already learnt during the year. This meant quite advanced planning to ensure they would have enough time to learn and polish a new piece, particularly for those who chose stretch pieces above their usual level.
The second reason for this theme was to give the students an active role in piece selection, so that they would be really invested in their chosen piece. This makes such a big difference when it comes to enthusiasm towards practise.
And finally, let’s be honest – an hour long recital can be hard to sit through for some, so the choice of recognisable tunes can make it more fun and enjoyable for the audience.
Some of the pieces performed on the day included:
- Edelweiss, from The Sound of Music
- Theme from Mission Impossible, from Mission Impossible
- Married Life, from Up
- In Dreams, from The Lord of the Rings
- My Heart Will Go On, from Titanic
There were many a selection of Disney pieces also from Frozen, Tangled and Moana, just to name a few!
Recital Day
We had a great turnout on the day with about 70 audience members. It was the first time we had used this location and it was also a new experience for students to perform on a grand piano they hadn’t played on before.
This is another skill of performance. You have to be able to adjust to the piano in front of you. The more experienced students appreciated the different matte feel and weighting of the keys of the grand and enjoyed the touch and sound production.
Some less experienced students “complained” that the piano wasn’t as good as their own – which you can only chuckle at as a reaction to the unfamiliar!
It was a successful event with a very attentive audience, and all the students performed well. Minor stumbles are expected in any recital, but everyone trained for this and if it happened, they knew exactly how to carry on without letting it derail their performance. Another important lesson!
Performance Excerpts
Here are a few snippets of the performances from the day, showcasing a diverse range of students in terms of age, backgrounds and how long they’ve been learning the piano.
Post-Recital
It has been a couple of months now since the recital, and more than a handful of students have chosen to warm up in their lessons with their recital piece or to play it at some point during their lessons. It’s a great reflection of positive associations with the recital, and it is the ultimate reward of preparing a piece thoroughly for a performance. The piece stays in your fingers and in your memory for a long time afterwards, and you can play it for your own simple pleasure whenever the mood strikes. Ultimately, that is what learning to play the piano is all about!