Simpedia

Stephen R., California

I usually play. It gives me performance goals twice a year along with my students. I think it’s important to expose students (and parents) to all the repertoire out there. It does make me nervous, though, every time. Not sure if that ever goes away, unless you perform a lot.

Also, students learn a lot by watching and listening to seasoned players perform. When I go to professional piano concerts I feel completely inspired when I come home. Makes me want to play better and do what I do better. Plus I love hearing new music!

Anna J., Canada

I wrestle with this too, for all the reasons you’ve outlined. That being said, I have played on occasion and it’s been well received. At our Christmas party I’ll often lead out with the first carol accompaniment, for example. It’s not a big stretch for me, and I find it sets a relaxed mood for everyone to participate in singing along. Other times I’ve taken the opportunity to demonstrate some of the more advanced pieces that are coming up in the program. I like the challenge of preparing repertoire along with my students, and I feel it brings some credibility to me as a teacher. It doesn’t seem fair, after all, if I’m always asking them to push their comfort zones and don’t do so myself!

I make no bones about this being a stretch for me personally and I hope to normalize some of those feelings of nervousness for others (and, as is often the case, sometimes even making mistakes and learning to carry on anyway!). When I do play, I try to keep the attention mostly focused on the students and the strides they’ve made. Also, if I have a lot of students playing and the program is running long, then I’ll typically choose not to play. I’d rather the time be spent focused on the students, not me!

Leeanne I., Australia

I always play and go last. I’m not an advanced player either, but everyone is impressed. I play a Foundation piece, one of my own compositions, then a fun piece. Two years ago my fun piece was Chandelier by Sia. I put on a short blond wig, brought the YouTube video up, and explained how the Accompaniment Program had enabled me to play this song easily. All the students stood around the piano and sang along. I tell my students that I will never make them do something I can’t do, so that’s why I perform too.

Shyrl K., Washington

I usually perform in my recitals. The feedback is always “you should do more of that”. Rather than thinking of it as performing, I like to think of it as sharing my love for music with others – helping them to solidify that desire to make music a lifelong pursuit. Besides, generally speaking, students and parents want to know the teacher can play. They want to be inspired.

Stephen R., California

The longest piece I remember playing was the first movement of Sonata Pathetique. It was about 9 minutes. A parent commented after about how long it was. I typically like to keep it well under that 🙂

Joan H., Canada

I usually play, and at the very end – that way if we are pressed for time, I pass (although I did that at the last one as I wanted to honor the time, and there were audible “sighs” when I said I’d pass!). My main “whys” are:

1) “more is caught than taught” – the power of example

2) being willing to do what I expect them to do – play in public

It would be easier not to! But I too have found an appreciative audience, especially parents who are not part of the lesson. I have chosen to play either current popular songs reflecting on a recent theater production, movie, etc as these pose more of a challenge for me to take off the page than Foundation pieces (i.e. Les Mis piece, Downton Abbey theme, Frozen, and this year it will be Beauty and the Beast). Moonlight Sonata as a classical and personal favorite. I also learned the Foundation 1-4 medley and 5-9 medley thanks to Laurie Richards sharing her list with me a few years ago, and played those on separate events as a glimpse of what each of those sets of Foundations includes. That was a great challenge and most enjoyable to play and good to keep alive. It was great for students to hear as they love hearing what they know and are intrigued by what they can anticipate learning! Time: maximum of 5 minutes.

One more thing – when I played the Les Mis and Frozen pieces, I had two moms with professional voices sing along. It’s great to involve others!

What do I love? Sharing great-sounding music! The main joy is just in enjoying on my own at home, but there is another level when we can share it with others. What has surprised me? How a bit of nervousness can throw me off and result in less than perfect playing! Keeps me humble and is also good for students to hear – it’s okay to mess up! The other surprise is how much parents seem to appreciate it.

Leeanne I., Australia

I think it’s best to keep the pieces short and interesting. One thing I do differently is I stay up on the stage with my students.

Felicity E., Australia

I don’t usually perform piano, but if we are doing accompanist pieces I will sing and/or include lyrics in the program so the audience can sing too. A lot are church families, so it’s nice for them to see their child accompanying a group. Last year I was asked by one of the parents who has seen me singing in my jazz band to do something, so I did “Autumn Leaves” in the style of Eva Cassidy. That went down well, with one parent saying he felt like he was in a cool jazz bar. I won’t make a habit of it though and may get someone to sing with my more advanced accompaniment students to give someone else a chance and not draw more attention to myself.

Ian M., Indiana

I play in my recitals for many of the reasons already given, plus this: I’ll typically select a piece I’m working on, but that isn’t completely recital ready. So I play it, and I make some mistakes and take them in stride, maybe chuckle a little bit, and let them see that the world doesn’t end.

Of course, I also coach them about what happens when you make a mistake, but modeling it is, in some ways, better than coaching.

Laurie Richards, Nebraska

I usually play at mine and go last. I think students should see their teachers perform. It doesn’t matter if you are not an advanced player. I often choose a song from a Development level to give a glimpse of future projects. I keep forgetting about my medleys, but when I do play them, it’s always a hit.

Sue L., California

I play first and last as well as sing. My goal is to “warm up” the audience and put a fun end to the experience.

Carol P., South Carolina

I play at nursing home gatherings once a year and naturally I play each song in the student’s lesson before it is learned. I don’t usually perform in my recitals because I want to be relaxed and focus on creating a hospitable environment for my students while providing them time to play at least two songs since they want to play! That said, there may come a time when teaching and hosting a play party are so easy that I will have a relaxed ability to perform at the recital, in which case I’ll definitely do so.