Recital invites have been sent; your students have been working hard to prepare, and there is one week to go until the big day!
How do we make this last week count, and how do we make sure our students are at their performance peak the day of our event?
Today, I am sharing 5 things you can do at your last lesson before a recital to help prepare your students to do their very best!
Keep reading to learn more...
How do we make this last week count, and how do we make sure our students are at their performance peak the day of our event?
Today, I am sharing 5 things you can do at your last lesson before a recital to help prepare your students to do their very best!
Keep reading to learn more...
1. Do a complete practice performance.
This last lesson is a perfect time to help students practice doing a complete performance of their piece. At this point, it is important for students to be able to get into "performance mode" quickly, and doing a complete performance from start to finish several times in the week before the recital can help with that.
Guide students through practicing this complete performance during your piano lesson, then encourage students to practice this on their own at home in this final week. In this practice performance, be sure to include:
2. Show students a picture of the recital venue, if possible, and explain what will happen at your event.
Showing students pictures of your venue and describing the order of events they can expect the day of your recital can go a long way towards easing their anxiety about the big day.
For example: What time should students arrive? Will they be able to play on the piano before the recital? Will there be a special seating area for students separate from their families? What is the dress code for the recital? Will there be a reception afterwards, or an opportunity for students to take pictures?
Make sure that students and parents know the answers to these questions so that you will all be on the same page about how your event will work.
3. Show students the program so they will be prepared for when they will play in the recital.
I always like to show students the program order for our recital, so they can see what other pieces are being performed and where they are placed in the program.
I have found that some students prefer to play early in the program, while others would rather play later so they have time to see how the recital procedure works. I try to accommodate these preferences if I can--but letting students know what to expect regarding the program order can be an important way to help them to mentally prepare for their performance.
4. Give students a few ideas for how to practice their pieces this week.
Help your students keep their recital pieces "fresh" by giving them several specific ways to practice their pieces at home this final week (in addition to the complete performance practice mentioned above).
With one week to go before the recital, I like to focus on building each student's confidence and helping them to get comfortable performing for others. At this point, I try to keep critical comments to a minimum and focus on the overall performance of the piece.
See my article HERE for 10 ways your students can practice a piece before a performance, including a free printable!
5. Ask students how they are feeling about performing, and give students a few stress-relieving activities they can do this week at home if they need to.
Hopefully your students are feeling prepared and ready to play their best! However, it is very common for students to have some anxiety about performing, so discussing strategies for how to deal with performance jitters is important.
See my article HERE for 5 ways you can help your students deal with performance anxiety leading up to your event.
What do you think? What special activities do you plan for the last lesson before a recital? Are there any other ideas you would add to this list? I'd love to hear from you in the comments!
This last lesson is a perfect time to help students practice doing a complete performance of their piece. At this point, it is important for students to be able to get into "performance mode" quickly, and doing a complete performance from start to finish several times in the week before the recital can help with that.
Guide students through practicing this complete performance during your piano lesson, then encourage students to practice this on their own at home in this final week. In this practice performance, be sure to include:
- Walking up to the piano.
- Adjusting the piano bench and opening the music, if applicable.
- Taking a deep breath and thinking through the first measure, then playing the piece.
- Placing hands gently in the lap after the last note is played.
- Taking a bow, then walking "off stage."
2. Show students a picture of the recital venue, if possible, and explain what will happen at your event.
Showing students pictures of your venue and describing the order of events they can expect the day of your recital can go a long way towards easing their anxiety about the big day.
For example: What time should students arrive? Will they be able to play on the piano before the recital? Will there be a special seating area for students separate from their families? What is the dress code for the recital? Will there be a reception afterwards, or an opportunity for students to take pictures?
Make sure that students and parents know the answers to these questions so that you will all be on the same page about how your event will work.
3. Show students the program so they will be prepared for when they will play in the recital.
I always like to show students the program order for our recital, so they can see what other pieces are being performed and where they are placed in the program.
I have found that some students prefer to play early in the program, while others would rather play later so they have time to see how the recital procedure works. I try to accommodate these preferences if I can--but letting students know what to expect regarding the program order can be an important way to help them to mentally prepare for their performance.
4. Give students a few ideas for how to practice their pieces this week.
Help your students keep their recital pieces "fresh" by giving them several specific ways to practice their pieces at home this final week (in addition to the complete performance practice mentioned above).
With one week to go before the recital, I like to focus on building each student's confidence and helping them to get comfortable performing for others. At this point, I try to keep critical comments to a minimum and focus on the overall performance of the piece.
See my article HERE for 10 ways your students can practice a piece before a performance, including a free printable!
5. Ask students how they are feeling about performing, and give students a few stress-relieving activities they can do this week at home if they need to.
Hopefully your students are feeling prepared and ready to play their best! However, it is very common for students to have some anxiety about performing, so discussing strategies for how to deal with performance jitters is important.
See my article HERE for 5 ways you can help your students deal with performance anxiety leading up to your event.
What do you think? What special activities do you plan for the last lesson before a recital? Are there any other ideas you would add to this list? I'd love to hear from you in the comments!
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