A teacher’s job neither starts nor ends in the studio.  Preparation, brainstorming, caring, ideas, inspiration, creativity… these are only a few words to describe the immense responsibility we have outside of the studio.  Have you ever found yourself writing a letter outside teaching hours to encourage a student who is struggling with their first Minuet or help a parent who needs advice on inspiring their child to practice, or researched the best local pianos for sale?

Take your job seriously in all respects.  I have discovered that when we, as teachers, enjoy what we do, our students have a sense of ownership, joy, and satisfaction in the accomplishments they have made at their instruments.  You all are wonderful teachers! Keep pouring into your students and enjoy every moment and opportunity you have to make a difference in their lives through music.

I will…

• pray for my day’s list of students before entering the studio.
• look students in the eyes, let them know how glad I am to see them, and smile!… be cheerful
• give clear practice instructions, demand only the best and be patient when practice weeks don’t reach those expectations

• teach and enforce proper technique… especially by observing away from the piano.  We will video-tape the student playing so they can evaluate themselves (position, alignment, posture, tone, musical shape and imagery, etc).
• apply music theory in a composition aspect… using Finale Notepad & Garage Band (in my studio’s case)
• students will play music games online as part of their assignments
• come up with creative ideas for lessons each week… think about it on the way to the studio from college, where I attend.  This includes games and visuals for students of all ages.
• spend time looking for the songs the students request.
• keep up with the points & placements of those participating in the “Measure Madness Contest”
• keep explanations simple and free from too many analogies – which can be confusing for many students.  Simple, concise, and direct answers are best.
• not let exhaustion take away my sense of humor… appropriate individually for each age.
• celebrate student’s accomplishments with them!

Remind students…

• Your music means so much to everyone who hears it!
• God has given you a special gift in piano… what do you think that is? (a gift they need to work hard at and enjoy – be good stewards of that gift and be responsible in how they use and present it – , a gift to share and be humble about, a gift they can always improve on and can always be excited about.)

Other Assignment Ideas…

• listen to a particular classical song and write a review on it (short, but informative)
• create songs to describe certain moods or objects
• use online music games to “Learn”, “Play”, “Quiz”, “Challenge”… continually progress through the levels…
• music games to play at home and teach family members
• use metronome for a steady beat/tempo… march around room to metronome & then to music… only stepping on the beats 1 2 3 4 (and not the notes and runs in between)
• clap/tap the rhythm
• white board (symbols, writing counts, drawing notes, etc)
• flash-cards

As a reward, generously use candy & sticker incentives…
*gummy bears, skittles, M&Ms,…

Luke-warmness in teaching is pointless… the ideas are endless. – Kristin Phillips  :-)

As always, I appreciate ideas and feedback.  :-)  Have a wonderful week everyone!

Below is a list of goals for my studio. I keep a copy nearby and do my best to remember that everything I teach should serve to develop a well-rounded education for your students.

Enjoy and have a wonderful 2009!

Look in eyes, let them know I am glad to see them, be “up-beat”, smile

• Welcome… *how was your week?, *how’s your family?  *how was piano?
• Warm-Ups… THEORY GOALS chart (follow progressive outline)Composer of the Month… learn an easy to remember, interesting fact of the week (know it for the next lesson by memory)… 4 interesting facts about each month… 10 points if the student can perfectly recite the 4 interesting facts word-for-word… subtract one point for each word out of order.  Top three students to correctly recite monthly quota receive a special prize at the spring recital.
• Composer of the Month… learn an easy to remember, interesting fact of the week (know it for the next lesson by memory)… 4 interesting facts about each month… 10 points if the student can perfectly recite the 4 interesting facts word-for-word… subtract one point for each word out of order.  Top three students to correctly recite monthly quota receive a special prize at the spring recital.

Listen to students’ songs/pieces/assignments… two questions (among other things to go over/talk about)

• Scale of 1-10
  1 = only played the minimum – to pass the time and get it over with
  10 = gave effort to learn/perform everything in the song and do it well/carefully

Ask the student, “Do you think we should review this song or move on and learn something new or both?”
1 = need to review this song this week and give it another try
5 = review this song & move on
10 = move on… I did GREAT!

• Theory pages for new concepts… do or talk about them in the lesson (use white-board, flashcards, visual aids, and games, etc)
• Assign new songs and go over details

EXTRA TIME = games (card, board, online, active), sight-reading & looking for more fun songs, composing & recording on computer with keyboard and microphone

TAKE HOME = Classical Music listening sheet… listen to a classical piece (song) and answer these questions…

• What is the exact/entire title and the composer’s name?
• How long was this piece?  Did you listen to the entire thing?
• On a scale of 1-10, how did you enjoy listening to this piece?
• On a scale of 1-10, would this be a song you would like to learn to play eventually?
• What instrument(s) did you hear?
• What did the music remind you of?  Did you think of anything as you listened to it?
• How did you feel as you listened to this music?

Rewards and Incentives:

• Prize Box… post points on wall or bulletin board & keep updated
• Piano Points – keep track of them (incentive program)
• Treasure Chest (Candy & Small Toys)… one item if practiced at least 5 days (length = what teacher assigned) – signed by parents, gave enough effort and it shows in progress, brought all books, did theory & extra pages & warm-ups & classical music listening sheet
• Student of the Month CONTEST… poster
  You may have noticed that we have a great, new feature!  This is based on the following things… (all ages and levels, girls and boys – piano or voice)
  *knowing all your lesson assignments
  *bringing everything and not leaving anything at home
  *having a great attitude
  If you were absolutely exceptional in lessons, you may be able to keep the poster!
• STICKERS
  Each song you finish beautifully following ALL directions = you may pick out an amazing sticker from your teacher’s special collection… be quick to pick and don’t think about it too long or you may miss your opportunity, but have fun. 
• TOP PRACTICING STUDENTS
  Remember to add your practice time to the website log-in… your parents know how to do it (remind them).  ?  I am keeping an updated list each week of the top practicing student in each level.  The prize for this contest is simply the joy and excitement of seeing your name up there!  ?  – the list will be updated each weekend.

Practice Requirements in the Studio:
30-minute lesson = 20-30 minute practicing each day (following the CEDA outline)
45-minute lesson = 40-60 minute practicing each day (following the CEDA outline)

CEDA

• Concentration = eliminate distractions, be alert and awake, pay attention to what you are doing and listen to the beautiful music you are making! 
• Effort = if you take time to practice, you will get better… if you do not take the time and do your best, you will fall behind and your teacher will notice
• Diligence = have you ever studied or tried really hard at something and strained over it and worried about it and worked on it for hours… and the teacher gave you a bad grade?  Sometimes we can work really hard at something and not do well… it is all about the details we pay attention to and how we work on the problems.  When we are learning the piano, it is very important to not miss or skip over anything.  Fingering, notes, timing, dynamics, beautiful musical tone and shape, hand and sitting position, performance and stage presence, and much more are equally important.  If you leave anything out, you have not been as diligent as you could be… and are missing out on something amazing.  How diligent can you be to cover everything and be careful about everything in your music?
• Attitude = that says it all… smile.  Above all, remember that God has given you this special gift, your parents are loving the fact that you are learning piano, and I can’t wait for you to come each week!  If you come in with a bad attitude or are not fully attentive and excited to be at your lesson, it is hard on your parents, hard on me, and hard on yourself.  If you have a bad attitude about practicing or just don’t care, I will help you figure out the reason, but it is your responsibility to have the best attitude in town!

Thank you, teachers!  You all have been amazing in comments and suggestions.  As we enter this New Year, we can remember that great piano teachers make great students.  How can we improve our studios and teaching abilities?  How can we make lessons more enjoyable and knowledge-saturated for our students?

Have a wonderful 2009! 

1. Attend Workshops – by attending music workshops, those creative juices will begin flowing again!  Be inspired by others in the business, discover new ways to present a topic to your students, and enjoy what you do. Other conferences through the Music Teacher’s Association (MTA) also are great opportunities to meet others.  www.mtna.org
2. Schedule Breaks – take a day off.  Sleep in.  Get a manicure.  Get a massage.  Eat Chocolate.  Take care of you (the teacher)!
3. Break the routine up by scheduling various types of recitals (formal & relaxed, themes, Christmas camp, summer workshops, and much more)!  This not only helps the teacher, but provides a great means of motivation for all the students.
4. Try something new… new music and new games for your students will help them stay motivated and energized about music.  Move the equipment and instruments around in your studio space, so it seems new.  Perhaps have all your students of a certain levels spend most of their lesson time on computer software (highlight or find new computer games for the lab through www.musiclearningcommunity.com).  Or, have everyone work on duets for the recital.  Teach your students to dance a Minuet.
5. Put on an uplifting CD and just listen to the music without worrying about the technical aspects and fretting about how to analyze the structure with a student.    Watch a DVD, crank it, sing, dance, and remind yourself that there IS joy in music.
6. Join online groups and share.  Knowing that you are NOT alone is very helpful.  Yahoo Groups is a great source for camaraderie in music studio aspects and issues of all kinds.
7. If there are any students who particular curl your toenails the minute they walk in the studio… find a way to remove them from your studio or address the issues in a pleasant way.
8. Organize a fun incentive program going on each year… and don’t do the same one twice in a row.

Just know you are not alone.  Teaching alone can be a challenge and we often will crave the conversation we find when spending time with others.  Take an evening to have a family over for dinner (not necessarily one from your studio).  Go to a movie.  Take a walk in the park.  Enjoy what you do!  You are needed and wonderful teachers!  Enjoy every moment you have with your students, but remember to take some time to motivate yourself.  A bored or stressed teacher causes only bored and stressed students.  When you find joy in what you do, your students will too.    Have a very merry Christmas!

This time off means an opportunity to reevaluate the supplies on hand and the organization of everything needed on a day-to-day basis on any given teaching day.

Eliminating the Clutter…
A method I’ve had to adopt is one that simply says, “be critical”… if a book or piece of music or teaching aid or organizational system that you have not used or applied in the last year is in your studio, get rid of it.  Find someone who can benefit from those things you no longer use.  Donate the music, electronics, or storage to a charity or deliver it to a Goodwill store.

Often, by this time of year, I’ve accumulated more than I need in the studio and certainly more than I will ever have the time to implement in my teaching.

Some things to keep on hand…
Of course, your piano!  Whether this is a grand, upright, or keyboard (hopefully not the only instrument you use), it needs to be serviced regularly and tuned by a professional 1-2x/year.
Many teachers opt to keep a supply of commonly used method books in various levels on hand for at least two reasons: *when a student forgets a book, you are easily able to say, “oh!  I have that book waiting just for you… let’s go to the pages you were supposed to work on this week.”  *having the books on hand help with lesson planning.  Unless you provide & invoice books to your students as needed, there is no reason to have more than one copy of each book.

Always have a metronome within easy reach.  Other aids, such as posters, flashcards, white boards, and manuscript paper are useful tools to keep on hand.

Files & Mailboxes…
Each of the families in my studio has a mailbox, the inexpensive Office Depot files (see http://www.officedepot.com/a/products/576120/Eldon-Recycled-Stackable-Letter-Trays-Side/) in which I keep any papers to give my students or notes to remember for future lessons… to be referenced throughout the week as needed.

I also keep two sturdy file boxes beside the piano for easy access to their application policies (organized by student) and any note naming worksheets, composer research, or practice strategies commonly used.

Bulletin Board…
A fun feature which everyone has enjoyed thus far, is the bulletin board hanging on the wall of the entryway.  On it, I have a fun poster with everyone’s birthdays displayed.  I also have a “Student of the Month” poster on which are questions the special student answers.  We also put a picture of that student on the poster for a time – I had the poster laminated and use only white-board markers, which can be erased easily (all supplies are available at http://www.learningpalace.com/).  Also, with the Practice Log, a great feature through Music Teacher’s Helper, I create a list of “top practicing students” and display each students’ name on a separate “Star Student” bulletin star and string them across the top with miniature clothes pins and string in order from the student who logged the most practice time to the least practice time.

In Closing…
I hope these ideas have helped someone.  I am always looking for new inspiration, so feel free to comment with suggestions.  I hope to post pictures here soon of the different mentioned areas of my studio.  Please let me know if this would be helpful.    And, have a very blessed, merry Christmas!

1.    Check out Mike Saville’s article blog on http://www.howtopractise.com for ideas on “Holiday Practice Projects” for some great ideas.

2.    Another idea… have your students listen to Christmas music and write a short paragraph about what they hear… *time signature, *instruments, *moods & musical imagery, *dynamic contrasts and the use of music items, such as staccato, slurs, and fermatas.  Perhaps they can look up the origin and composer of the piece and possibly the story behind the actual song.  These ideas can apply to classical music as well.  Perhaps give a prize ($2.00 gift certificate to Baskin Robbins or Blockbuster) to the student who finishes the most projects/songs.

3.    My students love to come up with games.  They especially enjoy when a game they have created or made up is included in my private lesson sessions with the other students!  By encouraging your students to come up with their own ideas and to create, imagine, and organize those ideas, you are challenging them to stretch themselves in their musical abilities.  Their confidence and self-esteem at the piano and in music in general is boosted in a very special and motivating way.  A fun game for everyone I’ve taught is… play with your eyes closed!  Often, they are amazed at what they can do without looking!

4.    If your instrument can be moved from room to room (obviously, pianos should not be moved if possible), a change of scenery (brass, string, & wind musicians enjoy something “different”) can be the extra boost of enthusiasm and motivation… where else can I play today?  Bathroom, kitchen (with mom’s permission), family room, bed room, storage closet, garage, outdoors in the snow (probably not), anywhere!  Remember the poem, “Cats Sleep Anywhere”?  “Musicians Play Everywhere!”

5.    Encourage the parents and family members to have their little one put on concerts for family and friends.  They should sit in the room with the instrument often… I always play better and enjoy what I’m doing when someone is there to listen.  Otherwise, playing a musical instrument can be a very lonely experience.

6.    Ask your students to review all the basics… everything they’ve learned from all their previous books and songs.  I used to go through all my old method books during Christmas break.

7.    Assign your students extra Christmas pieces during the break (let them pick the songs) and encourage them to perform them on Christmas day.  ?

I hope these helped…
Please let me know if you have any comments or suggestions to add.  Everyone can benefit from your ideas!
Have a wonderful and very merry Christmas!
~Kristin Phillips

Name: ________________________________

Practicing Tips – Learning a new song/piece

Name of song/piece

1. What does the name describe?
2. Does the name give you an idea of what the song will be like?

Composer/Writer

1. Who?
2. When did they live?
3. Look up the name and write down 5 important facts about him/her.
4. Are there any words or terms or signs you are unfamiliar with?
5. Look them up online or in a music dictionary and know them for the next lesson.

Key

1. What key is this song in?
2. Are there sharps and flats in the key signature?  What ones?

Look at the notes

1. Are any parts particularly interesting?
2. Do any sections repeat themselves?

What is the time signature?

1. Turn on your metronome, and tap out the rhythm of the entire song with both hands.

As you are playing, pay attention to the following…

1. Fingering
2. Accuracy
3. Sound quality
4. Rhythm
5. Rests
6. Balance
7. Articulation
8. Dynamics
9. Phrase shape

Remember these practicing tips when nothing else works…

1. Separate the hands
2. Memorize the passage
3. Slow down
4. Work on a smaller portion
5. Take a break
6. Practice a different piece
7. Sight-read for ten minutes, then try again
8. Do more repetitions
9. Use different practice tips
10. Write in more fingering
11. Change the fingering

Practicing Tips – Theme for January (in my studio)… a good way to start the New Year! 

Practicing takes determination, patience, awareness, curiosity, and tunnel vision.

1. Determination – we all know what this is!
2. Patience – Learning to play the piano can’t be done in a hurry.  It takes time – every day, every week, and over the years.  Set aside a portion of each day for practicing, and keep the appointment faithfully.
3. Awareness – Listen so carefully that you know exactly how you sound.
4. Curiosity – Ask yourself questions.  How did that sound?  Was it better than before?  If so, how?  If not, why not?  Should I slow down?  Should I change the way I practice?
5. Tunnel Vision – Set a specific goal for each practice session.  Focus on one problem at a time.  Work in small sections.  Even within a section, work on one hand (or one musical line) at a time or on one aspect only, such as accuracy, speed, balance, dynamics, or tone quality.

Tools

1. Pencil or highlighter – write in visual aids like fingering, accidentals, pedal marks, dynamics, notes of encouragement, or danger signals.
2. Music dictionary – Musical terms are a composer’s way of explaining how a piece should be played.  Use your dictionary to be sure that you understand every message.
3. Metronome – Use the metronome creatively.  It can help you not only to track the beat, but also to unravel complicated rhythms, to raise a piece’s tempo bit by bit, to feel the phrase, or just to calm yourself down.  Make a habit of counting aloud, with or without the metronome.
4. Microphone – To discover how you really sound, record your playing on good quality equipment and listen to it.

Reply and comment with your own tips here… I am looking forward to hearing more ideas to implement in my own studio. 

My family has its traditions; turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie (my favorite is apple), and delicious homemade bread.  We sit in the living room and sing songs related to Thanksgiving, harvest, and gathering together.  For the last few years, I’ve had the privilege of playing for such an event.

Though I am terribly busy with college studies and teaching, I wanted to write here about truly being thankful for our studios and the families that come our way.

What are you thankful for today?

About six years ago, my father encouraged me to start teaching piano lessons.  It started slowly, but has grown now to 31 students.  I’ve had the challenges we all face and have formed my studio policy around those families that have attempted to assert authority above my own.

I currently have a studio of wonderful families and students!  Yes, they have struggles remembering to practice, but they try hard and the parents are a joy to work with.

I am thankful for a studio of students who…

• do what they are told
• work hard even when they don’t see where their lessons are heading (because they trust that I do)
• let me know when they haven’t practiced as much as they should
• practice above and beyond my expectations
• are enthusiastic about the piano and encouraging towards others (one in particular this week… 5 years old said something encouraging about EVERY student in her group lesson after they played).

A blessing for any teacher is when a student walks in with a picture they’ve drawn or a bracelet they’ve made.    Teachers love to feel appreciated, but more than that, our students love to know we are proud of them.

Now, I am not here to write about myself or to gloat.  I am one of many who takes teaching seriously and strives to do my best for my students and their parents (because when the parents are happy, you are happy).  ?

What is your mission statement or teaching philosophy?  Have you followed it to the dime?
A few pointers I’ve come up with to build a successful studio…

• set expectations from the beginning (practicing, piano equipment, accountability) and continue to stress their importance
• stay in constant communication with the families you teach
• organize group lessons and recitals (we do each twice a year) – students build friendships and go home feeling refreshed
• never accept second best from a student, and be ready to encourage rather than “put down”
• let students go if they are not meeting expectations regularly or are difficult to deal with, but be gentle about it

I have had several teachers growing up and each one blessed me in a different way.  My first and last two teachers spent extra time with me if I didn’t understand something.  They went over and above to teach me great life lessons and never gave up on me.  One day, when I was dishonest to my teacher about my practice pattern that week, she caught on and wisely called my mom after she sent me home (I was in walking distance).  My mom sent me back to apologize and my teacher’s response just stunned me.  She forgave me, but expected me to work harder now.  A simple answer offering a second chance gave me hope that piano could again be a rewarding pursuit.  Because of that teacher, I developed good, disciplined practice habits and went on to study music in college.  Could she have known?  No, but she put her heart into my music education, forgave me when I lied, and helped me learn not only music, but to live honestly and to LOVE music.  Everything I learned through the years about the piano encouraged me to give my heart to what I do.  Now, when I perform, I am sharing what has been given me as a blessing to others.  If any of you have a student who is lacking a heart for music, give it to them.  If you need students who practice, encourage them when they mess up.  If you need students who work hard and try at everything you suggest, let them know how proud you are of them when they do succeed.

We are spending Thanksgiving this year at my first piano teacher’s house and I will be sing Thanksgiving songs as we gather around the piano – the piano I learned to play my first songs on… the piano I lied in front of when I was dishonest with my teacher, but learned an important lesson on forgiveness, trust, discipline, accountability, and being thankful for all I have.  ?

No matter what, remember to put your heart into what you teach and don’t ever forget that the opportunity you have to reach into these kids lives is special, unique, and may be life-changing.

What are you thankful for in your studios this beautiful Thanksgiving Day?

Recital Etiquette:
1.    Please plan on staying for the entire recital. It is rude to stay only for your child’s performance. If you absolutely must leave during the recital, please wait for the applause and then move as quickly and as quietly as possible. It is expected that those families that need to leave early will give notice of such prior to the day of the recital.

2.    The recital will begin promptly at 3 p.m. Please make the necessary arrangements to be at least 10-15 minutes early. Please allow your child and self ample time. Rushing in just before the recital will not be conducive to a relaxed, comfortable performance. Plan extra time.

3.    Please refrain from any talk, whisper, or chatter during the performances. Students please set a good example by demonstrating appropriate audience behavior. (This, of course, goes for parents too!)

4.    Be sure ALL mobile/cell phones, pagers, beepers, digital watches, and the like are OFF. It is distracting to both the performer and the listener.

5.    Please leave electronic games/portable electronic devices (CD players, walkmans, game boy, etc.) at home. Attention should be on the listening of the people performing.

6.    Videotaping is fine provided it is not noisy. If you do choose to videotape, please be sure you are not obstructing anyone’s view. Consider arriving early for better placement of your camera. I would prefer flash photography be delayed until after the performance as the flash and advancing film noise can be quite distracting.  The studio makes a DVD of the entire performance for $6.00.  Please let me know in advance if you would like a copy.

7.    Give enthusiastic and encouraging applause to ALL of the students! They have worked hard all year!

Students and Parents:
**Please wear dress clothes.
Jeans, open toe shoes, etc. are not acceptable attire for a recital. Parents, you don’t have to be dressed fancy, but you should be dressed up and look neat.
**Suggested attire: Boys: suit and dress shoes or button-down shirt with dress pants and dress shoes. Khaki pants and knit shirts are NOT dress attire. Girls: Either a dress or blouse and skirt/dress pants. DO wear proper hosiery! Please choose your footwear carefully; those fashionable thickly heeled and soled shoes may be cute and stylish but may not be conducive to proper pedal technique. DO practice your recital piece(s) in the shoes you intend to wear the day of the recital. Please note: students who are not dressed appropriately for the recital will NOT be permitted to perform. No exceptions.
**All students are required/highly encouraged to have their recital repertoire memorized. For those students who do not have pieces memorized, please remember to bring your materials.
**Students may sit with families until it is their turn to play. Order of recital will be given in advance of the recital day.
**You may invite anyone; there is no limit on seating.
**Seating is available on first come, first serve basis. The studio is not responsible for where people choose to sit.

Please let me know if you have anything to add to this list… it is ever being fine-tuned, edited, and added-to. 

Today, I am going to address the idea of recital rehearsals.

One of the scariest things I faced as a young musician was showing up for a recital without knowing exactly what I would be doing or what my teacher had planned for the event.  A few years ago, I decided, with the encouragement of my students and their parents, to host rehearsals in my home studio to address the issues before us.

About two weeks before the actual performance, only the students gather in my home studio in groups of 4-10 by age to “rehearse” the recital just as it will happen on the real day.  This time, however, we take pictures (posed & candid), do a craft (for the younger students), talk about stage fright and recital etiquette, and video-tape their performances twice.  Why twice?  The first time, the students who are not performing at the moment will be very, very, very quiet… as well as polite, clapping at the end, and encouraging in every way.  The second time, they will still be encouraging and clap at the end, but they will be loud and talkative.
Often, students are told to pretend no one is there… or that those there are invisible or some such thing.  I find it important, however, to remind my students that those attending their recital are there to support them.  If they make a mistake or lose their place, no one is going to criticize them.  They need to be prepared if someone sneezes or a baby cries… and the best way is to be completely aware of their surroundings and who is in the room.  By playing for the enjoyment of their audience rather than using a great deal of energy trying to block that audience out or mind awareness, the student has the opportunity to enjoy performing and will overall have an amazing outcome – playing their best not for me, but because they love what they do.

We go over a few steps in the rehearsal, which will be duplicated in the actual recital.  I have broken it down by the minute…

• 8-10 minutes = Introductions & icebreaker game, favorite song to play, another hobby or interest
• 10 minutes = Order of Recital (just talking about it)
  When the student before them goes up to play (students sit with their parents), you will come up to the front row where I (the teacher) will be.  When the student playing is done, you will go up to play and the student after you will come sit up with me.  Everything (all the moving) is done during the applause… and has worked great!
  Approach w/ music
  Enter piano bench on left
  Sit @ piano, set up music
  Hands in lap 5 seconds, deep breath
  When finished playing, hands in lap 5 seconds
  Stand up and leave on left of the piano bench (don’t forget to take your music with you – I don’t require my students to memorize their music)
  Bow or curtsy, then sit down.  Good job! ?
• For 20-30 minutes = Recital Practice (piece(s) & order) = 3-4 minutes each (video-taping)
• 10 minutes = Explanation of Recital and what it will be like…
  Dress Code
  Be 10 minutes early to recital
  After the recital, mingle & meet the other guests
  Etiquette – what does it mean?
  Anxiety – Be ready for everything and anything.  Try not to block anything out.  If someone sneezes or a baby cries, don’t be surprised.  Expect it.
• 20 minutes = Take pictures of students performing & do craft
  Decorate cookies (especially at Christmas time) when finished with previous activity
  As parents are coming = Review game – covering some musical concepts they are learning in private lessons

What is my greatest joy as a teacher?  Students come for lessons and only see me, their teacher, and any students before or after them.  When they are able to spend an hour together as a group with others their own age and approximate playing level, they find just as much joy in their playing as I find in teaching.  Recitals can be scary experiences, but with friends, anything is possible.  The support my students have for one another is truly amazing and shows me that the hours of preparation going into each recital is worth the time and effort… if only to know they are well-prepared, have made great friends, and find purpose and joy in sharing the musical skills they have learned and worked diligently at for so long.  Recital-time is truly one of my favorite seasons of the year. 

A few examples from my own studio…
We hold recitals 2x/year – one a few weeks before Christmas and another in the spring.  Both are required of all students and are a great way to inspire and motivate… everyone looks forward to it!
I make sure reminders are periodically sent by email or posted on my website for all families to see.

Communication is key.  About 2 weeks before the recital, I send a detailed explanation of what to expect, what to bring, and where to be.  ?

I started having students write a short autobiography to be printed in the program.  Some students draw, paint, or color themed pictures to be included on the cover or inside as original “clipart”.

Students are expected to arrive a minimum of 15 minutes early… to avoid the stress of “running late” and making it much easier on their teacher!  ?  They are required to bring their music – in my studio, students are not required to memorize their pieces (for various reasons to be covered later).  The families also bring a dish or dessert to share afterwards during the reception time.

After the performances, we have awards – I give each student a certificate for performing and another for participating in games online at www.musiclearningcommunity.com and another for student of the month awards (covering the months since our last recital).  Students also receive the certificates from the back of the method books they have passed or any exams passed.  The entire awards ceremony lasts from 5-15 minutes for 30 students.  They love the recognition of their hard work!

Employing volunteer parents to help with set-up and cleanup has lessened the load on my shoulders and is always greatly appreciated!  My family has been a wonderful help as well.

Prior to the recital, be sure to establish…

• what the students should do upon arriving (check in with you, find a seat, do an activity)
• where the students will be sitting (as a group or with parents)
• who is invited to attend (family, friends, etc)… are invitations provided?
• the cost & when it is due (students, attendees, etc) to cover the costs of rental, use of facilities, any other expenses related to the event
• media (pictures, video, cell phones)… how do you wish to handle it? (when can pictures be taken?  Are families encouraged to take video and if so, where should they stand or sit as to be the least distracting?)
• dress code (is this a casual or formal recital?)… what is acceptable and not?
• volunteers for certain tasks

Suggested To-Do List…

• Make Programs a day or two before the recital, but not too far in advance or changes will be inevitable and cause unnecessary frustration and stress
• Make invitations for students – they love ones themed with pianos and music notes! 
• Verify venue and time – to avoid last minute surprises

These are all technical aspects of a recital, but more to come include…

• how to deal with stage fright
• ways to motivate and inspire through recitals… and when to give gifts to your students
• ways to order students in a program… who goes first?  who finishes up?
• recital themes
• reasons for students sitting with parents vs. sitting as a group (I’ve tried both)
• whether or not to hold any sort of rehearsal before-hand
• recital etiquette
• finding a booking a venue/location
• establishing a day and time
• refreshments
• how to put together a program
• copyright issues in media (making of DVDs or CDs)… recording and copying

Have a wonderful recital and remember to enjoy every moment.  Never forget the amazing memories you are creating in the lives of each of your students and the responsibility we all have to do everything in excellence.  Enjoy!