Group Lesson before a recital

[keyofc]

Hi out there,
Can anyone help me with a few ideas?  I am directing my first recital in about 10 days
and it has been the most difficult thing for me and yet I'm glad I"m doing it.
  I don't like standing in front of people.  I'm not playing piano the day of the recital
since I want it to be their day to shine.  Can't change my mind on that since I've been too focused on them.
   I scheduled a group lesson about a week before the recital to use it as a rehearsal and also talk about performing and help the kids feel more comfortable.
Any ideas on what you would do in the group lesson? Especially one right before a recital?   It's only an hour.  So even though it should go by pretty fast, I'm wanting to structure it a little more in my mind.
   Also, how about the recitals?  DO you usually speak a lot? Is it really necessary to say anything except welcome?  I was even thinking of having someone else who is helping me do the announcing.  Anything wrong with that?
    How do you end it?;  Is it really that important that they bow? 
I am a church musician and play in church and in music therapy.  When I play I forget about the people - but I'm not a performer really.  I certainly don't bow after playing - people just pray at church.  I know this is a total different setting. 
    Please offer any ideas you have. Thanks!
   KEYOfC
 

[abell88]

At your group lesson, you could have each play their pieces and then make positive comments about each other's performances. Show them good posture and how to make a proper bow, and make sure they practise this. They should definitely bow -- it is the proper acknowledgement of the applause. Not to do so is rude (although young children may forget).  Discuss briefly what to do if they make a mistake or have a memory lapse.

I think you should at least say a tiny bit at the beginning, even if it's just a welcome, then you could say you've asked So-and-so to be the master of ceremonies. As for the amount of talking, I think it's nice if each participant is introduced or introduces themself. My son's piano teacher gives a little biography of each student, something like this: "Next we'll have Emma, who's in Grade 2. Emma likes to swim and play monopoly, and when she grows up she wants to be a banker. Emma will play Minuet and Cat on the Roof."

My recital would take too long if I said that much, so I just tell the name and what  they're going to play.

At the end I thank everyone for coming, thank my husband for his help, and invite everyone to the other room for refreshments. If you don't have refreshments or any announcements, I still think you should thank everyone for coming, say you hope they enjoyed it, and tell your students you're proud of them.

[keyofc]

Thanks Abell,
I was planning on doing most all of that, but what about the bow?
do the girls and boys do it differently?
How would you instruct them to bow?

[lagin]

As a girl, I bow with my hands behind my back.  They guys seem to do it like that or with one arm across their stomach. 

We always say,  "Hello/Good evening/Merry Christmas (whichever), my name is _________  __________.  This piece is called __________, by ____________."  My teacher anounces us in groups of five.  She just says from her seat, the next 5 performers will be .....Frank, Ben, Joe, Billy, and Bob.  She warns us ahead of time to remember the name that is before ours so we know when it's our turn.  If we forget, she has a list and will call us out.  I always forget, LOL. 

Save a real people pleaser piece for the end, to end with a bang.  Or put a reliable student at the end.  We go in order of our grade, so no one is intimidated by anyone before them.  If there are alot of advance students, she will break them up though, so their pieces don't seem like one long complicated piece after another.

[keyofc]

Thanks Lagin - that order helped a lot!

[lagin]

No problem.  So how did it go?  I'm eager to hear.