It’s recital season… and that means you’re busy planning, prepping and doing up programs. But are your participation numbers a little less than you’d hoped? Do you have piano students (and parents) who are opting out of your recital?
Well… not for long!
I have never explicitly stated that my piano recitals are mandatory but historical attendance figures would make you think so. And this is because I make a point of letting my piano parents know that a recital is so much more than just a chance for an iPhone video of their child at the piano!
I know the immense benefits that a recital provides to my students, but because the parents of my piano students don’t always realize the far-reaching effects that a recital performance can provide, I share with them my 12 benefits of piano recital participation…
Note: Feel free to copy and paste the following points into emails, newsletters, texts… whatever it takes to pump up recital participation.
12 Reasons Why Recitals Rock!
1. Recitals provide a tangible goal to work towards. In having a set date and a pre-planned performance selection, your child learns how to manage their practice time and what it feels like to polish and perfect a piece.
2. Recitals provide an opportunity to feel successful. Learning the piano requires many, many hours of solo practice. Performing gives your child the recognition they deserve for their hard work.
3. Recitals provide an opportunity for you to show your child that you value their involvement in music. Setting aside time in your busy life to attend a recital supports your children and their peers and shows your child that your family values music.
4. Recitals provide a chance for your children (and you!) to reflect upon where they’ve “come from” when watching beginning students. Progress at the piano can sometimes feel slow, but watching younger students perform reminds your children of the gains they have made and motivates them to continue to progress.
5. Recitals provide a chance for your children (and you!) to see “where they’ll go” when watching more advanced students. There are few things more motivating to a piano student than watching their peers perform. They get to hear pieces that they will enjoy playing in the future, see more advanced techniques first-hand and experience the pride that comes from becoming proficient at the piano.
6. Recitals provide a chance for your extended family to be involved in your child’s piano education. Athletes get all the glory… everyone comes to watch soccer games but no one really heads over to watch a piano practice session! Involving grandparents and aunties and uncles in the recital audience gives your child an opportunity to share their hard work with the ones they love.
7. Recitals provide a chance for your child to experience nervousness… and to realize that those feelings are okay. We like to protect our children from feeling uncomfortable, but in “real life” these feelings are part-and-parcel of being human. Early experiences with successfully conquering nerves gives children confidence.
8. Recitals give you the opportunity to provide genuine and heartfelt praise. Bring on the photos and videos and big hugs and flushed-face smiles. Clap enthusiastically. Let your child know just how much you recognize their efforts and watch their commitment to piano lessons soar.
9. Recitals provide a chance for your child to practice public speaking and to gain confidence in front of a group; two skills that will serve your child well in many other areas of his or her life. Speaking and performing in a safe environment means that your child gains important experience in front of a crowd. The earlier these experiences happen, the easier it becomes for your child as they enter adolescence and adulthood.
10. Recitals provide an opportunity for your child to get to know his or her peers who are also taking lessons. Making these connections helps to build community within a studio and helps your child to feel as though he or she belongs which results in increased interest in lessons.
11. Recitals give your children the chance to hear live music. Young children rarely attend a lot of live concerts… and piano recitals are a wonderful place for your child to hear a wide variety of music. Nothing can replace the “live music experience” and when your child is an active participant in the event it’s even more rewarding!
12. Recitals provide an opportunity for you to sit back and marvel at the pride-inducing sight of your own child making beautiful music! Piano practice is often done amongst a busy household with siblings, pets, vacuums, dishwashers, and doorbells. It’s rare that you have the opportunity to focus only on your child and the music they are making. These moments matter.
It’s a Team Effort
Teachers can also play a large part in making the recital experience accessible and enjoyable for everyone. Well prepared students, a great venue, a comfortable duration and lots of recital fun can make all the difference in your recital participation. With a team effort of teacher and parent, you can make your recitals a “do not miss” event on everyone’s calendar!
Susan says
Love this and totally using it in a newsletter. Thank you!
Connie says
Well said. I certainly will give this article to my piano families in preparation for the spring recital.
Karen Benson says
This is wonderful! Definitely using this to try to increase my recital participation. #7 is the main reason.
Arleen says
Thank you for such useful and usable info!
patricia says
I had a few of these ideas missing in my annual competition/ recital newsletter! Thank you for helping get these ideas across to our “families”!
Brian Jenkins says
Fantastic! I’ll definitely use this! I run a business with a bunch of teachers and a couple hundred students. Our recital participation hovers at around 10%. I’m always looking for more ways to get more people to come. Thanks!
Jolene says
Great summary!
Sandra says
I saw a suggestion face book’s Piano Pedagogy page that students who do not wish to perform should attend the recital anyway. I like this idea! Although I have almost 100% participation, I do get a student from time to time who is nervous about performing. I usually persuade them to do a teacher/student duet, or sing with a group. Once I had a boy change his mind about performing once he got there and saw that some of his peers were performing. I inserted him into the program, and he was pumped that he changed his mind.
Barbara says
So well said. Thanks for putting it into words for us! It’s going to all of the parents this week:)
Sue says
I have almost 100% participation in recitals. First off, I require participation or I have the option of discontinuing that student (which is spelled out in my policy). Of course, there are extenuating circumstances that are taken into consideration. I’ve had students play in their baseball uniforms because they are either coming or going to a game. Not attending because of nervousness is not tolerated.
I try to make my recitals fun. It’s more like a party. We always have a theme and students help by giving me ideas. For example, I have done a pajama recital (everyone wears pajamas), a movie recital (songs from movies) with popcorn and pop for lunch, a Land of the Green Glass Doors recital (a puzzle they have to figure out by the titles of their pieces), “The Case of the Missing Canoe”, a story using the titles of their pieces as part of the plot line (I had a student who broke her wrist right before the recital so she was the narrator, and next week we are having an Unusual Holiday Concert. Students chose their pieces, I found an unusual holiday to go with it ,and organized the performance order by date. Since this is an unusual concert, they can wear anything they want as long as they’re dressed! We are having popcorn cake for lunch. They can use music for our fall/Christmas concert (alternate every year). The spring recital is memorized and each student plays two pieces. This recital uses pieces they have memorized for guild, so guild is more pressure than the recital.
My recitals are not inexpensive. I try to have a good lunch that the students will like, I print fun programs, the kids get gifts at Christmas and new students get handmade felt banners to keep their guild pins on, I have decorations. But it is well worth it. Everyone, including parents, enjoy my recitals. Grandmas and grandpas, aunts, uncles, and friends have all attended and had a good time.
Mary Kay says
Thank you! I will be sharing this with parents. Sue, thank you for the felt banner idea for guild pins! Love it!
Tina says
Yes! I love the guild banner idea. Thanks so much for this valuable information. Time is wise for you, Andrea and Sue!
Elaine says
I love this! I’ll be printing and distributing it to the parents of my students. Thank you for compiling such a comprehensive, well written and succinct list.
Andrea says
You’re most welcome Elaine!
Bec says
Is there a printable version of this? In Australia most parents feel it’s ok to pull out last minute (I went from 13 performers to 5 performers in 2 weeks) but physically handing them a copy could change their minds.
Andrea says
Hi Bec – there isn’t but feel free to “copy and paste” as long as you cite the source of information somewhere 🙂