Surviving a Recital

My piano students are putting the finishing touches on their pieces for next week's recital. Being a little nervous when performing is perfectly normal. Here are some tips on overcoming the last-minute jitters:

1. Breathe. Take time to relax, breathe deeply.
2. Stretch hands and body.
3. Stay hydrated.
4. Channel nervousness into motivation. In other words, use it to encourage you to do you best.

Taken from: http://piano.about.com/od/recitalsperformances/tp/Stage-Fright-Symptoms.htm

And here are some of my own ideas:

1. Arrive early to avoid last-minute rush and, if possible, play your piece on the piano on which you will perform.
2. Take time to be well groomed and dress nicely.
2. Check the program to make sure you know when it's your turn.
3. Take time to adjust the piano bench to the right distance from the piano.
4. Take a deep breath.
5. Take a moment to mentally decide on your tempo. When you're nervous, you may tend to start out faster than you should.
6. If you make a mistake, just keep on playing. Don't correct yourself. Don't gasp or mutter or burst into tears. Just keep on going.
7. When you're done, smile and take a bow.
8. When people congratulate you on doing a good job, be gracious and thank them.
9. Be a good audience for others who are performing.

The Music of Christmas

Last night I went to a wonderful Christmas Concert at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, at which the Sesame Street Muppets and Santino Fontana performed with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Orchestra at Temple Square. An audience of 21,000 people, including children ages 5 and up, were enchanted with the delightful and magnificent performance.

I was especially intrigued watching the little children, including my 7-year-old grandson, as they witnessed this magical performance. What a wonderful experience...to not only enjoy the fun of the Muppets and the wonderful dancers, the lights and decorations and special effects, but also to have a chance to listen to a full symphony orchestra and exceptional choir perform.

These are the kinds of experiences that help mold children...experiences they never ever forget.

Expose Your Children to a Variety of Cultural and Musical Happenings

Summer is a fantastic time to expose your children to a variety of musical, art, and cultural events. Many communities have free concerts at the park, featuring a variety of genres. If you live near a university, find out about recitals that may be open to the public. The wider the variety, the better. Museums, art shows, dance festivals, celtic festivals...the list goes on and on.

I'll be forever grateful to my dad, who took his children to many cultural events even though money was very tight. I remember the thrill of sitting in a huge auditorium and being blown away by a full evening of Beethoven. He took us to the Ice Capades and to "The Nutcracker." We went to many community plays and concerts.

Largely because of this exposure, I have loved music, theatre and the arts all my life.