I did that a couple years ago and it was great! We were doing Piano Olympics and I held a contest for the program design and theme. The kids voted and the theme was: "Let the Musician within us Soar!" Isn't that great? Anyway, then I took the design that won and printed them for the cover of the program. It was great! I need to remember to do that more often!

That's a great idea! It's funny because, after I posted the last message and said I couldn't think of a name, I thought to just have the kids do it! It's their recital anyway. Why not let them have more control of it? I have group lessons today and one glorious week off so I think I'll hand out flyers to everyone at the groups. They will then have 2 months to think of something. I'll plan another group lesson 2 or 3 weeks before the recital and they can vote there. What do you think? I can't wait to see what they come up with!

I have been mulling over the piano situation at my church where we do the recital. The grand is sitting in the corner with a rail around it and you can only see the top of one's head while playing. However, it is a wonderful instrument. The choir piano that I roll out to the sanctuary is so-so but very visable to all audience members. I have only used it for my past recitals. This year I am asking my students what they want to play on (and what their parents want). The older more advanced kids want to play on the grand. Maybe I will send home a note and take a poll. And I am also thinking about whether or not to announce each student before they play. I have done it every recital, trying to think of humorous or informative things to say, and our recitals have run tooooooo long. However, it bothers me a bit to think of them just going up there to play with no announcement (there is always a printed program). I have read the archives but just want some NEW advice (really I guess I want someone to say "you should do this ". What has worked best for you?

I always go for the best instrument I possibly can. Our recital will be at our church, too, and I have the choice between a nice-sized chapel with a terrible piano or the sanctuary, which is really too big, but with a wonderful grand. I am going for option #2. We can move the grand to the front of the stage for a good view. However, as a student, I would have loved being tucked back where no one could see me!

Carole, with as many students as you have I would split it up into smaller mini-recitals, maybe with 12-15 people, preferably no more than 12. Schedule them on the hour. The recital will take about a half hour, which will leave just enough time for cookies, pictures, visiting and milling around. Plus it gives you time to have "patter" between students. I used to run 3 recitals on one Sunday afternoon back in the days when I had a huge studio.

I got the idea from Mayron Cole when I took her training, and I think it was one of the best switches I ever made. Parents love it. They only want to hear their kid - not suffer through an endless recital of other people's kids. In that spirit, I think a "lesser" piano can be fine if it allows the audience to see the child better. After spending all the money for lessons and a nice outfit, I think most people would like to see more than a bobbing head!

This year for the first time I am splitting my recital into 2 smaller ones. Each will still run an hour probably but I think it will work. Where I am holding the recital we cannot have refreshments. This will be new for all of us too, though I will hand something out. Many parents do only want to hear thier own child but I have many who love to hear what others are doing, especially more advanced students, if their child is young and/or a beginner. For this reason I will mix all levels up into both recitlas so that they can hear all. It seems to inspire the parents and the students to continue!

When I held my recitals at my home, I held 2 or 3 smaller recitals because of a limited amount of room. We have a big living room with the piano on one end and could set up about 30 folding chairs and had the couches as well for additional seating. I liked the smaller recitals because it was a more intimate setting and I always grouped them at varying levels and with people they would know. If the families know each other, they have other kids to listen to than their own.
While the smaller recitals were nice, the big recitals I have now at the concert hall are a lot easier. Everything's done at once! I guess they both have their advantages.

I will probably only have six, maybe seven students performing at my recital. 5 are level 1 or primer, and 2 are level 3. I'm trying to decide where to have the recital--at my home, or at the church close by. It seems a bit much to have it in a church when there will be so few there and the songs so short. Yet, my piano area may be cramped if everyone brings their sisters, brothers, parents, grandparents, etc. We have a lot of space for milling around, refreshments, etc. but the piano room is a modest sized living room with adjacent dining. How many people should I expect come with each student? Also, is three songs per student too much to ask? Any opinions would be appreciated!

This year I scheduled 6 recital/programs at our nursing home. The room is free if the programs are for the residents - even though we can have as many guests as we want.

Between our local music festival, our school solo/ensemble contest, and the 6 programs, I asked the students to choose at least 2 to attend.

This kept me with about 8-12 students per program, most students played 2 songs - the younger ones played 3. Most of the programs only lasted 30 minutes which everyone seemed grateful for. The residents loved.

I took refreshments for our December program - and the ones who ate were glad for it but the majority of the people skipped so I haven't done refreshments since.

I've been happy with our turn outs - it's much less stress for me than doing several in one day. There have been 2 students who have performed at every single program. I'm glad they have the opportunity since they like to do it so much.

I'm trying something new for my students' recital in May. It was actually this student's idea. She is playing "wind beneath my wings" and suggested asking her choir teacher to sing while she accompanied. She said her choir teacher was always looking for places to perform, and I liked the idea of doing something different. It will be a good experience I think for this student. Maybe it will encourage some of my other students to try something similar, as several of them play other instruments. I'm hoping to have a duet recital in the fall, but will have to spend time looking for music.