9 Things Piano Teachers Want Parents To Know About Piano Recitals

It’s piano recital season and if you have a child in piano lessons, they probably have a recital coming up soon.

Your child has probably spent a lot of time preparing for their big performance, but sometimes parents feel a little bit out of the loop about what happens at a recital.

Your piano teacher will likely have specific details for you, but here are some general expectations about piano recitals.

1. Bring a fan club.

Unless you’ve specifically been told to limit the number of guests you bring, you can invite friends and family to see your child perform in a recital. It is so special for kids to have a crew of grandparents, cousins, family members and friends to cheer them on.

2. Have your student dress nicely.

This is another area where you may receive specific instructions about what to wear, but in general, students should dress nicely for a performance. Your teacher will probably give some guidelines, but plan to step it up a little from everyday clothing.

3. Plan to arrive on time and stay the whole time.

It can be really disruptive to performers for people to be coming and going during the recital. Plan to arrive early to find parking and seating and stay for the entire recital if possible. It can be hard to carve time in our busy schedules, but it means a lot to all of the students performing to have a supportive audience.

4. Say encouraging things to your child before the performance.

It’s completely normal for kids to feel nervous before a performance. You don’t have to convince them not to be nervous, but it can be helpful to hear some encouraging words before performing. Remind your child of how hard they have worked, how many times they have already played their performance piece really well and how exciting it will be to have shared their music in the recital.

5. Don’t project your own fears or insecurities onto your child.

Most adults aren’t willing to perform in front of a large crowd, yet we consider it pretty normal to expect a child to perform. Many times, children develop a fear of performing as a learned behavior. They pick up on fears and uncertainties from adults or older kids and learn that performing is a scary experience. Try to gauge how your child feels about the idea of performing. If they aren’t expressing any fear or anxiety, avoid giving them reasons to start worrying about their performance.

6. Don’t move about during the performance.

Performing a piano piece requires a lot of focus and concentration. Playing the piano in a new environment, on an unfamiliar piano and with a big crowd watching is really difficult and requires even more concentration than normal. Make a point to not create an additional distraction for performers by staying in your seat. Movement, doors opening and closing, and random sounds can really throw off a performance, plus, it’s disruptive to the student’s family who are trying to enjoy their child’s performance. If you have to leave the room or move about for some reason, only do so in between performances.

7. Help your family members sit quietly.

It can be really hard to expect young children to sit quietly and listen. However, most kids can rise to the occasion if they understand expectations ahead of time. Many kids are great listeners as long as they can keep their hands busy. It’s ok to bring some quiet activities like markers to doodle with or small fidget toys if it helps little audience members stay quiet.

8. Focus on the positive parts of your child’s performance.

No matter how the performance went, focus on the best parts. It is completely normal for kids to make small or big mistakes while performing, and mistakes are an expected part of the learning process. It’s not a big deal to make a few mistakes, but it is a big deal if kids can learn how to keep going, how to recover from a mistake or how to cover up mistakes so that no one notices.

Even if your child’s performance was rocky, there are plenty of compliments to give. You can say things like, “You put a lot of energy and excitement into that performance!” or, “You made such a beautiful tone on the piano!” Tell your child that you’re proud of them, that you loved the way they played their song and that you know how hard they worked.

9. Celebrate your child’s big accomplishment.

One of the best ways to help kids get through a big accomplishment is to help them visualize and look forward to the end result. Find a big or small way to celebrate that will help them remember their performance fondly and look forward to the great feeling afterwards for next time.

Good luck to your students performing in recitals this season!

This post was written by Megan, piano teacher and author of Pianissimo: A Very Piano Blog. Visit her website for more piano related blogs for teachers, parents, students, and all things piano.

Published on May 10, 2022