Where do you hold your recitals?

[ingagroznaya]

Where do you hold your recitals? I have not been teaching full time until the past couple of years. My studio is swollen. I have no idea where to sit 100-150 relatives. It has never been an issue. I have about 50 sits and I am charging them starting this year to help me cover the cost. Recital is coming up in a month. Do you restrict guests? I do not want to do it. Where?

[pianistimo]

churches?  every small donation helps a church, unless they have a set price for the room - which you could probably barter them down saying something like 'if you give me this price - i'll be back every two or three months.'

mall?  it's very hard to concentrate in that setting though - unless it were not in the malling area but a specific store.  seems that they always want a pianist to play in strawbridges - if you signed on with students - it would be less of a 'recital' and more of a 'performance experience.'

MTNA - if you join music teacher's association - you still have to get the kids to pay a fee for their own recital (which seems a bit stiff) but then they get the privilege of playing with lots of other kids at a large location which will accomodate at least the parents.  maybe including too many friends, etc - drives up the cost. 

home party - you just say - only one parent - bring refreshments - we'll have one of these every two or three months and you can bring alternate parents each time?

backyard bash - electronic piano - everyone comes (including friends).  the piano ends up in a tree somewhere.

[bananafish]

elementary/middle school auditoriums (I suppose they are cheaper than high school auditoriums.) One of my piano teacher held a recital in an elementary school auditorium. They had a Yahama Grand there. However, school auditoriums will probably cost you some money, but I don't think it should be too much. What my teacher did was to charge each of the student performing for the recital $5, and they could bring as many guests as they wish. That way, you don't have to charge your guests (as it's always a bad idea.) Hope this gives you some idea! 

[thalbergmad]

I hold my recitals in my garage.

It can hold up to 6 people with comfort.

[cora]

You can sometimes find a community league where there's a piano, or a theatre. In any case, I have charged in the past, but it's a bad idea. I think it's nicer to just pay it and have everybody bring as many people as they want. It's better for business, and good advertising. You can also bring your students to a nursing home recreation/performance.

There are pros and cons to all the locations mentionned. A church creates a certain serious atmosphere. A nursing home can frighten some children, especially if the patients have mental problems.

[ingagroznaya]

MTNA - if you join music teacher's association - you still have to get the kids to pay a fee for their own recital (which seems a bit stiff) but then they get the privilege of playing with lots of other kids at a large location which will accomodate at least the parents.  maybe including too many friends, etc - drives up the cost. 

Fee does not seem to be an issue. Available sitting and a nice formal room are my dilemmas.

Are you sure my kids would also have to pay a fee if I will join MTNA? To MTNA?
What do you mean at large location with lots of other kids? It's not going to be a private recital? How does it work?

I was looking at MTNA website tonight and it does not explain clearly... Many teachers? Many students? Sharing a stage?

[maryruth]

About MTNA--being I am a local chapter secretary, let me explain.  One, when you join MTNA you also join your States chapter and then a county chapter.  So, you join 3 groups at once.  You do most of your activities through your local chapter.  There'll be a monthly (Sept-May) business meeting that you can attend and get to know other teachers in your area.  At least at my chapter, they've also arranged a guest speaker of some sort each month to give an hour long presentation on some aspect of music teaching.  We get some good stuff at these.

Some of the activities your kids can be involved in through MTNA at the local level--adjudications, competitions, master classes and county recitals.  You can be as involved or uninvolved as you want to be.  You do have to attend 3 monthly meetings/year to allow your students to participate in chapter activities.

I've really learned a lot and have enjoyed getting to know other piano teachers. 

[orlandopiano]

Many upscale piano stores (official Yamaha, Steinway dealers) have an area in the back for recitals. And many of them will do it for free, just to get traffic in the store.

[pianoannie]

If you don't have a home church, perhaps you could ask all of your students' families if they attend a church that would allow a recital there.  I did that one year when my church was not available.

Retirement homes make nice venues (I don't mean nursing homes, although that's a possibility too).  My students often play as background music during the dinner hour at retirement homes.  The residents at retirement homes are generally healthier and less intimidating to the children than residents of nursing homes.

I just had a recital on Saturday at an upscale store at a mall.  It worked out beautifully.

My students have played at various community festivals in the area.  Sometimes I've had to bring one of my keyboards (which of course is not the greatest option, definitely doesn't work for more advanced students, but for my younger students it was a lot of fun).  Last month my students played at another mall, in a store that doesn't have a piano, but I was able to get a nearby piano store to loan us a piano at no charge in exchange for publicity for them.

I haven't tried this, but I know of teachers who have asked their families if anyone was willing to hold a recital in their home and gotten positive results.

Do you live near a college or university?  Often the dorms will have a piano in their formal lounge--maybe they would let you come in and use that space.  Or maybe there are other places on campus that could be used.

I've seen pianos in sitting areas at hospitals--another possibility.

[ingagroznaya]

Thank you to everyone who answered.
I can see a solution for my problem, but hearing what you have to say always helps.

Just out of curiosity... How a recital at the mall works? Little kids play their itty-bitty pieces and people just continue to shop? Do you announce performers? Parents, where are they? All standing? How big is the store?

[juliax]

I did mine at a local music store on a really nice Yamaha grand.  However, there recital hall only sat 40, so I had to divide my students into 2 seperate recitals.   Last Christmas, I just called one of my old teachers and asked if I could put my few participants in with hers at her church.  She was delighted, and didn't charge me anything. 
I think a public venue of some kind is always a good idea, for marketting purposes.  Outdoor theaters, malls,  and churches are all places where others can walk by and pick up strategically placed fliers and business cards. 

[ivoryplayer_amf]

public schools are open to the public and the school cannot and most of the time will not try to charge.  But with a school, you will have uncared for instruments.  I wouldnt charge the parents either, I would make it WELL known that you are accepting donations and tell them exactly why.  Also, try a college near by.  If you plan it right and talk to the right people you wont be charged.  Churches are a great idea.  Be sure you have the recital at night though, because during the summer, the church is not going to want to run the air during the day.

[barnowl]

My school holds them in a place called the Music Center, I'm told. No great shakes from what I've heard. But they get big SRO crowds.

For some reason, I don't like the intro to the rag I'll be playing in my recital (in November). Today, when I started practicing it, I got that queasy feeling in my stomach. I felt myself almost fast-forwarded in time. Here I am at the recital, starting the piece - and I've already made three mistakes. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrgggghhhhhhhhhh!!!

[ivoryplayer_amf]

My school holds them in a place called the Music Center, I'm told. No great shakes from what I've heard. But they get big SRO crowds.

For some reason, I don't like the intro to the rag I'll be playing in my recital (in November). Today, when I started practicing it, I got that queasy feeling in my stomach. I felt myself almost fast-forwarded in time. Here I am at the recital, starting the piece - and I've already made three mistakes. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrgggghhhhhhhhhh!!!

Whos Rag are you playing and what is it called?

[m1469]

I hold my recitals in a local HighSchool choir room.  Works great.

[Tash]

the first year with my old piano teacher she had it in the eugene goosens hall at the ABC centre! that was cool, it was a fab piano but i was too young to appreciate it. but that was expensive- charged parents like $25 to watch. so then the next year it was at the Theme and Variations Steainway piano store which was also cool. we were meant to have it there the year after as well except they screwed the dates up so we got moved to some little community hall.

[ingagroznaya]

Public High schools in my area are charging an arm and a leg for a room.

[bluepianist]

How about a community college.  If you don't charge admisssion, they are more apt to allow you to use the facility.

[ingagroznaya]

Last time I had a recital at the community college - the cost was $500.00 for two hours. I've got a such a favorable rate through a friend, who's actually teaching there. I charged no admission fee.

[lilla]

At the public library.  $50 for double-room with piano.  Will hold 120 guests.  I collect an annual fee - part of which goes towards recital expenses.  Contains small kitchen for refreshment set-ups, they arrange recital room to your needs.  Works nicely, but must reserve a year ahead for choice dates.

[quasimodo]

Carnage Hole

[jpianoflorida]

local church, nursing homes....nursing homes are happy to have people come in and entertain the residents .     We did something TOTALLY different last year....my students sponsored a benefit concert for a local homeless shelter---we rented a tent and had the recital outdoors using an electric piano with PA system...EVERYONE loved it..the parents and students were much more relaxed and have commented that it was the best recital yet!  we also had a spaghetti dinner and fun games(got bounce house inflatables donated along with a lot of other items).   Also, we had a silent auction going to raise money for the shelter.    Think outside the box-----you may get opposition from a few parents who always want things the "same way", but generally if you don't try new things you'll never know what might work well!

[penguinlover]

What a great idea jpianoflorida!  I hadn't thought of that before, you turned a simple recital into much more.  I bet your students came away with a great experience!  I may try this.  Thanks again.    penguinlover

[jpianoflorida]

thanks! if you need some more info or help feel free to send me a private message.....will be glad to share ideas.