During a piano recital, you have a captive audience of parents who have to listen to your welcome speech.
For this reason, it is the single most important piece of communication you will deliver all year.
In the past, we have shared many posts helping teachers make the most of this opportunity.
But while reviewing the advice we’ve given, I now realize that there may be something even more important than your welcome speech.
In today’s post, I’ll fill you in on a small change to your recital speech that will make a big difference.
The Problem With Our Previous Welcome Speech
Many teachers have used our Welcome Speech template with great success. And there is nothing wrong with using it as we have previously instructed.
But we think it can be even better.
How? By turning it into a “Before and After” Speech.
As I thought deeper about recital speeches, I considered their purpose. As you stand in front of your audience, your job is to thank parents for their belief in music education, praise students for their hard work and effort, mention all of the wonderful “extras” that happened during the year, celebrate special successes, and, most importantly, promote your studio and fill your future teaching schedule.
That is an awful lot for a welcome speech. Not only will people zone out after a few minutes but by the end of the recital they will have forgotten the most important bits, specifically the, “Hey, don’t forget to sign up for lessons again!”
So, let’s take a look at how we can change up the piano recital speech process.
The “Before Part” Of A Piano Recital Speech
The “Before” part of a piano recital speech should be geared specifically toward helping your performers have a wonderful experience.
This involves delivering a speech that relaxes and focuses your students, outlines recital etiquette, and, most importantly, instructs people to stay to the very end of the recital (no ducking out early!).
Anything you say that is not related to student performances will be forgotten by the time the recital ends, so save this for the “After” part of your recital speech.
The “After Part” Of A Piano Recital Speech
Your piano recital is a journey. Funny things happen, exciting things happen, and magical things happen.
Your piano recital is also an opportunity to grow your studio.
But, if you talk about re-registration or next year’s new programs at the beginning of the recital, all of those funny, exciting, and magical things will make parents forget about your welcome speech and about having to re-register.
So, to make sure you have a full studio next year, do the following:
- Tell the audience about any new programs you will be offering next year (ie. piano lessons for adult beginners, preschool piano lessons, etc.). Have forms with information regarding these programs ready to pass out to people as they exit the venue.
- Tell the audience to indicate their desire to re-register before they leave. Have a re-registration table set up and ready to go.
To sum everything up…
When delivering the perfect piano recital speech, make sure that before students perform, the speech is entirely focused on creating a relaxed and focused atmosphere and that after students perform, the speech is all about getting current students and new students registered!
The One New Program You Have To Talk About
When your recital is wrapped up, the one new program you must talk about if you want to grow your studio is the WunderKeys Pop Staff Piano Library For Older Beginners.
WunderKeys Pop Staff Piano Library For Older Beginners is fun, clean, clear, and concise. Adults aren’t overloaded with pages of useless text or ghastly-looking diagrams. We get right to the music…
And the music sounds great!
If you bring this series into your studio and really promote it to parents and friends, your studio is going to grow with a wonderful new group of students who bring an entirely new dynamic to lessons.
- If you want to learn all about Book 1, you can read a detailed explanation here.
- If you want to look inside Book 1 you can do so here.
- If you are ready to buy Book 1, click here or on the cover above!
