As I mentioned yesterday, our Spring Recital was Saturday! Here’s how it went down:
- It was held at the local library. They have an atrium with a Steinway baby grand piano. In the past, I’ve always held recitals at churches (and once at a school). I look for churches with grand pianos that can be moved to the center of the sanctuary. Being new in town, I haven’t yet discovered which churches have this kind of set-up (plus they have to be affordable). Two of my students suggested using the library, so we did. It costs $50 to rent and it’s a nice location with high ceilings and lots of natural light. I was happy with it!
- I always play something at my students’ recitals. This year, I asked my friend, a violinist for whom I’m accompanying for her semester juries at my local university, to play her jury piece with me. She was thrilled to be asked — but she needed to be first on the program so she could leave early for another event she had in the afternoon. I wish I could let you hear the piece — but I forgot to start the video camera before we played the piece! (I’m still kicking myself.) Anyway, here’s Itzhak Perlman playing it.
- After the violin piece, my students played. I had 10 out of my 16 students play at the recital (the others are adult students, new 4-year-old students, or had a schedule conflict). I knew it would be a short and sweet recital, but I still feel recitals are beneficial enough that it was worth doing anyway!
- After playing, my students stood in the front for a group photo, and I gave them each a rose for their performance. It’s a tradition I’ve been doing for a few years now, although my students in my new town, of course, have not experienced it yet.
- Afterwards, we had a little reception with cupcakes, a Kit Kat piano (a la Pinterest), and cheese n’ crackers.
I don’t think I can share video of the recital since the pieces performed are under copyright, but I hope to share a photo slideshow soon!
Do you all have Spring Recitals coming up? I like holding mine early in the Spring because May and June are such a busy months.
15 Comments
Sounds like a great setup for a recital.
Love the Bruch! One of my favourite movements of a violin concerto -- it really tugs at the heartstrings! And, of course, who better at it than Perlman?!
I got your music sheet balls in the mail yesterday -- thanks!
Glad they finally arrived! :)
You might look into a restaurant with a really nice piano, if the library doesn’t work out. (Sounds like an AWESOME library though!!) I have mine at a local restaurant during the lunchtime hours (it’s a fancy evening-frequented kind of place). I don’t pay anything and they get paying traffic. Works for both of us! Plus, I get free advertisement with a flyer and through traffic. Just have our area around the piano reserved and the kids get to experience being a real-live musician. WAY fun for them!
Joy, it sounds like your recital was very special! I haven’t had one yet, because until this year I had all beginners. But I am planning one for next year- gathering ideas and such. Thanks for always sharing such great ideas with us!
Thanks, Leah!
Sounds perfect! We’ll be having our recital in just a few weeks in the fellowship hall of a local church. I’m going to steal your rose idea--how perfect! I also think it’s important for the teacher to play at student recitals--because few of my students ever get to hear me play. I’m busy preparing Grieg’s March of the Gnomes--fun, flashy, not super difficult and easy to memorize! Hehe.
Georgia--I like your idea of holding your recitals at a restaurant! What a great idea!!
Love your website. I wanted to share about my recital this year.
It was: “A Night at the Movies” All 25 students played movie themes or recognizable songs from movies. I made a power point slideshow that had a photo from the movie for each song no words or titles on the slide show. In the program I only listed student names and a blank line. I ask the audience to write down the song title not just the movie title. At the end of the recital I gave a movie themed gift basket to the person who correctly named the most song titles with: a big popcorn bowl, 4 small bowls, 4 small cans of Coke, 2 bags microwave popcorn, 7 boxes of movie size candies, a $5.00 DVD, and a $20.00 gift card to the theater. I also purchased a huge bag of popcorn from the local theater and scooped into .1oz popcorn boxes I bought online. Guest were given a box of popcorn along with the program. I purchased recital program blanks from PaperDirect.com with movie light graphics. Our ending refreshments were cookie cake, ice cream, and punch. I decorated the table with star shaped balloons. I played a piece as well at the end of the recital. It wa so much fun and everyone seemed to enjoy the evening. I would like to theme next year’s recital also. I’m searching for great ideas.
What a fun idea! Thanks for sharing, Tamara.
It was great to hear about your recital! I wish our library had a piano. I am just starting out as a piano teacher and I have a couple of questions. How many pieces do you have your students play? I have mostly beginners and 2 intermediate. Also, when I was taking piano growing up my teacher had us announce our music at the recital by saying, “I shall play…..” I think it’s a valuable tool to have the students announce their music. What do you think of this?
I love your giving roses idea!
You can have students play how ever many pieces you want. With younger students, I encourage them to play 2 or 3 because their pieces are so short. Other students might play only 1 or 2. It depends on what your students can handle, and how long you want your recital to be.
Announcing pieces aloud is not a bad idea, but I know it often makes students nervous to have speak in front of a crowd. Personally, I figure if there is already a program that tells the piece/composer, there’s no need to also have it announced. However, I think if I had advanced high school students, I might ask them to give the audience some background about their piece. I enjoy it when classical performers speak from the stage, and I would encourage my students to do the same if they are able to speak intelligently about the piece.
Just my two-cents!
Your recital sounds so nice! We have our spring recital tomorrow; I was planning on making the kit kat pianos, but couldn’t find white kit kats *anywhere*!
Look in the baking/candy aisles at your local grocery store. Don’t bother looking in the check-out areas -- you probably won’t find them there.
I just found your amazing website tonight and love it! This was my first year teaching and I had 8 students total, most of which are beginners. We went to a local nursing home and played for the residents. It was short and sweet and I am continuing my old teacher’s tradition of giving out a small participation trophy and balloon. I also had a vase of roses and each student gave one to their parents. Attached to the flower was a note that said, thank you mom and dad for your efforts and encouragement to help me succeed this piano season. I’m hoping to transition from my job at a hospital to being a full time piano teacher, as this first year has been incredibly rewarding.
Hi Joy, I’m unable to view your spring recital. =(