Piano, Voice and Music Theory Instructor

Friday, October 9, 2015

Preparing for a Music Recital

It’s that time of year – the count down to Christmas!! And part of that count down to Christmas for music teachers is helping our students prepare for our annual Christmas Recital. There’s a lot to consider when planning for a music recital, and even things you’ll need to know once you get on stage.

1. Do choose a song you can master completely at least two weeks before your recital.
This is important for a few reasons:
  • A song has many nuances that take time to fully master. While listening to a professional recording of the song can help you understand some of its tricky bits, your performance should not be a carbon copy of another musician’s adaptation.
  • You may want to “test-drive” those nuances on the stage where the recital will be held to make sure they’ll sound right on a different instrument or with a microphone.
  • You shouldn’t have to rely on your sheet music on stage but if you’re allowed to have it with you, think of it as a helpful reminder, not a necessity.


2. Practicing for Your Music Recital
Use the following tips to help you practice and prepare for your music recital:
  • Do give yourself enough time right before a performance to warm up and practice your song at least once.
  • Do spend extra quality time on the most difficult parts of the song, so you can be sure to nail them!
  • Many musicians practice the opening measures of the piece over and over. It helps them feel confident that they can “launch” the piece and start the piece strongly.


3. At the Recital
Performing for a live audience can definitely be unnerving!
  •       You have worked hard on your recital piece so take this opportunity to show off your hard work and enjoy the performance. All performers, even famous musicians get nervous before they go on stage. But remember that everyone in the audience is on your side and wants to hear you succeed, so have fun and be proud that you are able to make music and give such extraordinary pleasure to others.

  •    Be respectful of your fellow performers and honor their hard work by sitting quietly and focusing your attention on them while they perform. If you or your guests need to leave for any reason, be sure to do so in between performances.