Pre-recital background music
Found in: Recitals & Events
Jaclyn O., Tennessee
Recital question: I would like to have some background music playing while people come in to the church before the recital starts. For those that have done this, what have you used? Where did you pull your sources? I was sort of thinking about an assortment of piano music but wasn’t really sure where to begin. I don’t own much, maybe one old classical CD, but am willing to purchase from iTunes or wherever to compile a good playlist of songs. I’m thinking it would be cool to use some Simply Music pieces from higher levels, but wondering how I could do that. If any of you have done this before, I would love to hear what worked for you.
Joan H., Canada
I have one of my more advanced students play for 10-15 minutes as people are arriving – a student who can easily enjoy just playing randomly through songs including those that many students have not yet learned.
Susan M., Canada
I used Oscar Peterson’s Night Train.
Terah W., Kansas
I have used this in the past for “my” time to play. It keeps me from having to “perform” (well, not exactly, anyway), and worrying about upstaging my beginners, but it also tells everyone involved that I’m not asking anyone to do anything by playing that I wouldn’t do myself.
I think sometimes we forget that playing with distractions, ambient background noise, etc, is so good for them and a great skill to acquire for different event opportunities. I do address it in class at times when I tell a student to keep playing through an interruption or activity, noise, whatever, but also to actually address it in a user-friendly environment. It really can be a necessary skill if playing for a wedding or event where someone has asked for background music and to keep playing/moving for things like that can be difficult for some.
Then, too, it might be appropriate to at least discuss the possibility of being approached and spoken to (from folks expecting a response!) during times like that, and it’s quite a discovery that it can or cannot be done by someone. This might all seem a little off track, but if you have a student playing prelude, sooner or later someone will approach them to even whisper encouragement, thinking the student is so advanced hat they won’t be disturbed by it. So it might be worth bringing it up when putting them in a prelude-playing event.
Jaclyn O., Tennessee
I ended up streaming music from Amazon Prime. It was so easy. I created a playlist of free music in a matter of minutes. I pulled some classical, jazz, and blues piano pieces. Even found Scarborough Fair piano arrangement and Amazing Grace. It was a nice mix of genres…like Simply Music! I will definitely be utilizing some of your ideas for the next one, when I actually have “advanced” students.