Sorry, but I have another recital question. I have the program made up and I assume the flow will be followed by the students without me announcing each one (they will announce their own song before they play). But how much do you usually speak before and after the pianists?

Do you just speak for a minute or two at the beginning to welcome everyone, say how much you've enjoyed this past year and all the students, etc., and then at the end of the recital just say a thank you for attending with an invitation to stay for refreshments?

I feel silly asking, but I've never really thought about it before with other recitals I've attended or participated in (it's been a couple of years, too), and now I can't remember! lol

Your plan for what you will say sounds good. My last recital was held at a church, so at the beginning, I thanked the music minister and the church "for hosting this recital" in front of the parents, and I thanked everyone for coming. After the performances, I presented awards & trophies from the students' NFMC festival events, at after that I thanked the audience for their attendance & applause, the students for practicing & preparing so well, and I thanked the parents for encouraging their kids and providing a musical education for their students. Please join us for a reception, blah blah

I have not asked students to announce their own pieces before; I usually do it. Hmm. I suppose it's good to make sure that they know their song & composer, but I fear the task of introducing might make some of them more nervous. Last year, I seated the students in a "performer's area", and I had them sit in the order they were performing. I could make eye contact with them after each performance to cue them to come to the piano (if they forgot it was their turn), and my readers followed along with the program well; I didn't have to say ANYTHING during the recital! This year, with my theme format, I let them sit in the audience with their parents, and each GROUP came to the stage and sat up there (in the choir loft, actually) and I quickly announced each student & piece to keep it moving.

It worked fine... except that one of the students froze up & forgot her music during the A section, and I got so distracted with helping her, smoothing out the situation, & making sure she wasn't upset that I SKIPPED the next student and the kids/audience reminded me at the end of the grouping. Ooops!

I find that getting to get up & move during the program helped the students stay engaged. When they sit on the stage for a really long time, they fidget and are a distraction to the audience, but I like them to be up there for more than a minute and a half so they feel important and get a REALLY good view of other players.

Some teachers encourage the audience to applaud before and after each performer, and instruct the student to bow before they play. For the sake of time, I had mine bow only after their performance (applause=thank you for your performance, bow=thank you for your applause), and STILL some of them forgot to do it at all. Have them practice bowing if you haven't already done so!

If you have a printed program, why is there a need for students (or the teacher) to introduce the piece?

I agree. There's no need to announce each student when everyone has a printed program. Our monthly MTAC recitals are done the same way; it saves time. You could give a nice introduction and ending.

I do similar to what you mentioned, Stacey. Sounds like you are on the right track! I give an introduction - thanks for being here, I'm proud of the students for preparing, any other announcements I think need to be expressed like photographer pictures after recital, reception, etc- then I say the first student's name and after that they each are pretty good about going up to the piano on their own. Sometimes they will look at me for confirmation and I'll smile and nod and they know to go up. Even my 5 year olds have been great about knowing when to go! Then at the end I thank them again and if there is a reception I invite them to stay.

At my last recital, the formal one, the only time I interrupted the recital was to announce a change in one of the student's songs (which was frustrating that they wanted to change the day before.. probably won't happen in the future, rrr.. lol).

I think you're on the right track! I get nervous getting up in front of a crowd, but it gets easier every time I do it again. You'll do great, Stacey!!

P.S. Good to remind your students to bow after their pieces, if you haven't already!

You shouldn't have to, but remind parents to turn off their cell phones!

One year, "Fur Elise", of all things, started playing from the back row!

Our recital is a bit more formal, since we only have one all year. I practice recital etiquette with the students ahead of time, then at the recital all the students enter as a group and sit together.

I do a welcome, thank the church for providing the venue, we have an invocation by the pastor of the church (or by my husband, who's also a minister) and I make a few announcements about turning off cell phones, not taking flash pictures during performances, location of the restrooms, location of the social hall for the reception afterwards, etc.

Then I briefly tell the audience what the students have been doing all year at piano lessons (our incentive program, composers we studied, computer programs, CD's we made, etc.) My remarks are very brief and we get right to the program. Some students are comfortable announcing themselves, others prefer not to, so I do it for them. I try to make it as stress-free as possible.

Awards and trophies are presented at the end, group picture is taken for the local newspaper, I thank everyone for coming,for their encouragement and support, and for the honor and privilege of working with their wonderful children. We then adjourn to the reception. All in all, it's usually a wonderful afternoon, and I try to keep the program to 1 or 1 1/2 hrs. tops. Little ones get "squirmy."

Actually, I look forward to this all year, as the kids have a ball and are so proud of themselves!

I think the majority is saying keep it short and sweet and that's what I try to do. Everyone's there to hear the students, so I do a short welcome at the beginning. Then give out awards the students have earned at festivals and make any scheduling announcements the parents need to know about. Take pictures. Release everyone to eat treats and drink punch!

Oh, and I always remind students throughout the year why we bow -- it's not to make a big deal of ourselves, but to thank the audience for being there and supporting us no matter what happens on stage!

Thanks for all the replies! I really didn't feel there was very much I should be saying, so it's a relief to hear that I'm on the right track. I definitely plan to keep my remarks short!

Arlene asked about why have students announce their pieces.... I guess personally I like to have that, just as an audience member. Sometimes I've gone to recitals and gotten "lost" with where they are in the lineup. If (as a guest or non-parent) you don't know the students names and the names of the songs aren't obvious, then I especially just find it a courtesy. And I think announcing keeps the kids from slinking up and gives them pause that what they are doing is important and professional, no matter their age.

We have been practicing bowing (and announcing) -- I think the practice helps! It's definitely made them more comfortable with it. I just do silly stuff with it, show "bad" examples of what not to do (in an exaggerated, silly way), etc.

Thank you

Arlene, are you saying a printed program makes announcements unnecessary? I am not sure about that one and am wondering how to handle next weeks recital. I am afraid the atmosphere could get a bit stiff if there is silence between the performances. It kind of frees it up a little if I speak in between, but on the other hand I don't say anything the audience cant read on the program,( or else the recital will be way to long) so what's the point of speaking? I have a week to think about this...