Your First Solo Recital

[dbrainiak914]

What was your first solo recital like?  How old were you?  What/how long did you play?  Where was it?  What was the audience like?

I have yet to give a solo recital (to be a HS junior) but I have a really strong rep right now, I was thinking about approaching my teacher about it.

[phil13]

I gave my first REAL solo recital (not counting going up to rich people's houses to give "an evening of music" *vomits angrily* and my first music store recital which was a small practice of miscellaneous pieces) just last May. I was 15 (almost 16 now). It was in the back of the music store where I take my lessons, it was about an hour and 15 minutes long, and there were about 50-55 people.

Here's what I played:

Bach: 'Sleepers,Wake' arranged for piano
Bach: 'Arioso' arranged for piano
Bach: Italian Concerto mvt.1
Mozart: Fantasia in D minor K.397
Scriabin: Etude in C# minor Op.2 No.1
Mendelssohn: Venetian Boat Song in F# minor Op.30 No.6
Debussy: Clair de Lune
Chopin: Waltz in A minor Op.34 No.2
Chopin: Nocturne in G minor Op.37 No.1
Chopin: Nocturne in E minor Op.72 No.1
Chopin: Nocturne in C# minor Op. posthumous
Finale: Beethoven: Sonata No.14 in C# minor Op.27 No.2 'Moonlight' (all)
Encore: Taylor: Sarabande in Bb minor

In that order. By the way, I started recitals late too. I'm to be a HS senior.

Phil (Taylor)

[ako]

I was 15 when I had my solo recital. My teacher was organizing recitals for some of her more advanced students so she approached us instead of we asking her. It was at the back of a music store also with about 50 people. Here's what I played:

Mozart- Fantasie in c minor, K475
Bach- Prelude and Fugue in g minor, BWV 861
Bach- Prelude and Fugue in G major, BMV 860
Chopin- Etude in A-flat major, Op. 25, No.1
Chopin- Etude in c minor, p. 10, No. 12


The other 2 students who gave solo recitals that same year had the following programs (for your reference):

Program 1:
Beethoven - Sonata in E major, Op. 14, No.1 (Complete)
Bach- French Suite in E-flat Major, BMV 815- Courante, Air, Gigue
Debussy- Children's Corner- Jimbo's Lullaby, The Snow is Dancing
Chopin- Fantasie-Impromptu

Program 2:
Mozart- Sonata in D Major, K576 (complete)
Debussy- The Girl with Flaxen Hair, Jardin sous la pluie from Estampes
Beethoven- Concerto No. 1 in C Major- Allegro con brio
Bartok- Rumanian Folk Dances

I don't know how old they were but they should be 1-3 years younger than me and were very talented.

[hannon_freek]

(I apologise in advance, the key to the left of 'T' has stopped functioning on this paticula compute)

My fist solo ecital was when I was 32 yeas of age... My teache had just intoduced me to Hanon and I had taken to it like a blood-leech  . I oganised a concet to be held at a local supemaket un by my elde siste in law, whee I would play Hanon's excecises and also a couple of compositions I had composed ealie. It went down a stom and this is what eally inspied me to take up piano seiously!! I still play Hanon's excecises fo 2 hous eveyday (much to my familys' despai...) and always ecommend The Vituoso Pianist to my students. I NEVE foce it onto the pupils howeve and if they decide they don't enjoy Hanon fo some eason I will be undestanding.

[Bouter Boogie]

Gosh, I don't even think I can remember my 1st solo recital I was probably younger than 10 years, maybe I even played recorder and not piano The only thing I know is that the recital must have been in Jakarta (the capital city of Indonesia) That's were I lived for more than 10 years, you see..

[nanabush]

My first (semi solo) recital, along with 3 other ppl, we each had like 25 minutes, I played quite a few pieces from the grade 6/7 RCM repertoire, plus theme from James bond yaa..

[sharon_f]

Let's see...it was over 35 years ago. I was 16 or 17 and played:

Scarlatti      3 Sonatas
Mozart        Sonata in C major K. 309
Debussy      Prelude from Pour le Piano

Villa-Lobos  Preludio from Bachianas Brasilieres #4
Brahms       Ballade Op. 10, No. 1
Chopin        2 Waltzes
Liszt            Funerailles

Performed at the local music school where I studied.  It went pretty well except for a funny mistake where my nerves got the best of me and I actually began to play a piece twice!  Great audience consisting of a whole bunch of friends from high school. For an encore I played my own transcription of the Love Theme from Romeo & Juliet by Nino Rota. The Zefferelli film was huge at that time and my friends loved that I played something popular.

[jeremyjchilds]

Very late.. I played Jazz for Banqeuts and dinner parties...(real estate, law firms, even church functions) in order to make money for college.

I guess that isnt a recital...sorry

[Jacey1973]

Wow you guys play such long recitals!

I've always played one or two pieces in group concerts at my school - not like my own recital! The earliest i can remember was playing for parents of my primary school when i was 11 when they were coming into the hall getting ready for an assembly, that wasn't a proper concert though and i can't remember what i played, perhaps the little Beethoven G major sonata and a few other pieces?

My first proper recital from memory was this year (in June) for my final year of my music degree. I played Schubert Allegretto in C minor, Mozart Sonata in D K576 and Ravel Alborada del gracioso...i can't wait to do another soon.

[pianogeek_cz]

Haven't had a real recital yet... the closest I got to it was when I played one piece as a bonus to a small vernisage... 

But I'm planning one this year...

[anda]

i remember! it was ages ago, i was 14, and the recital was a sort of "prep" for an exam, so i played the exam program:

bach - french suite no.5
beethoven - sonata op. 14 no. 1
schumann - papillons
debussy - i think some etudes, but i'm not sure which

very very few people in the audience, but the exam was ok.

[nuty]

My first solo recital was this year in June. I played in a local music school. There was about 100 people. And I played for about an hour and 15minutes. My program:

Prokofjev: March
Bach: twopatrt invencion n.13
Albeniz: Cordova
Chopin: Fantasie Impromptu
Schumann: Traumerei (I don`t know the English version of the title)
Falla: Amor del brujo

Škerjanc: Preludio n.1
Khachaturian: Sonatina (Allegro giocso, Andante con anima, Allegro mosso)
Grieg: Wedding day at Troldhaugen
Grieg: poetic heart
Gershwin: 3 Preludes
Berkovič: Toccata
Rachmaninov: Humoresque op. 10, n.5

I can`t wait for next one.

[Waldszenen]

I've never actually had a full solo recital alone; I've only ever played solo in concerts with other performances and so on.


The first time I played a performance was when I was ten; I played Mozart's Alla Turca and Chopin's Mazurka in C Sharp Minor.

[ted]

I have never played a solo recital and I hope I never have to, as it certainly wouldn't be a blessing for either the audience or me.

[kghayesh]

I am 19 and i had it last June in the hall of the Cultural Centre where i take lessons. There were about 45 people.

I played Bach - Prelude and Fugue in C Major BWV 846
             Kuhlau - Sonatina in F major Op.88
             Mozart - Sonata K.545 in C major (all)
             Tchaikovsky - Song of the Lark from Album pour l'enfants
             Chopin - Prelude no.7 Op.28
                         - Waltz no. 19 in A minor Op. posth
                         - Nocturne in C# minor Op. posth
             M.Cornick - Bossa Nova


I guess it is obvious that it is not a pro program but that was my first recital. I am working on a much grown-up repretory now.

[arensky]

I was 18 and in my freshman year in a Piano Performance Program; only one recital is usually required and a 1/2 recital in the junior year at most degree granting music schools; it should be more, what are we there for?  I decided that I would give a recital every year; it didn't work out my junior year, I had a new teacher and there was a nessacary period of adjustment in my playing as I absorbed his concepts. Anyway, my first recital program was;

French Suite in b minor   J.S. Bach
Sonata in F major op.10 #2   Beethoven
   
          _intermission 

Mazurka in E Major op.6 #3    Chopin
Mazurka in a minor op.67 #4  Chopin
Impromptu in F# major op.36 Chopin
Scherzo in Bb minor op.31       Chopin

Danzas Argentinas   Ginastera

Hope this helps you to figure out what you need to do. Make sure that your program is well balanced, with up-tempo and lyrical pieces as well as a contrast in style, period and mood; Try to have something on the program for everyone. Well, I would avoid Slipknot and Fifty Cent....

   

[-unavailable-]

My first solo recital was a year ago when i was thirteen. I dont remember all i played.

[Appenato]

i did a senior (highschool) recital last may. played a bunch of pieces that were lots of fun. i'm not really looking forward to my college senior recital... i'm gonna have to have everything memorized... eep.

[Tash]

the closest i've gotten to having my own solo recital was my school trial prac assessment, but that was with 4 singers as well, so not too solo...but i played for however many minutes on my own-

bach prelude and fugue in C minor
Chopin waltz in F minor
Khachaturian sonatine

i think i get my fully own recital in 3rd yr of my b.mus/b.ed which i'm really looking forward too cos that'd be the coolest!!