Recitals

[fleetfingers]

Teachers, I have a couple of questions about recitals:

1.  How many pieces do you have each student play? Assuming time is not a factor, is expecting them to play two or three in a row too much?

2.  Is there a correct/proper way to approach the piano bench when playing in a recital? What I mean is, should you come around the left or right side and then sit down? Or, maybe it's front or back side? Or is there even a rule of etiquette concerning this?

[m1469]

Teachers, I have a couple of questions about recitals:

1.  How many pieces do you have each student play? Assuming time is not a factor, is expecting them to play two or three in a row too much?

Time always seems to be a factor, but generally I have all of my students play at least two (sometimes 3, but time has definitely become a factor).  Most of these pieces are pretty small though and those performers might spend 5-6 minutes on stage, at the most, even with two pieces.  I think it's good for them to have a couple of pieces though, so they have a richer experience than just getting up and playing one short piece and then leaving before they have a chance to get over the initial nerves.  Even my more advanced students will have at least a couple of pieces.

2.  Is there a correct/proper way to approach the piano bench when playing in a recital? What I mean is, should you come around the left or right side and then sit down? Or, maybe it's front or back side? Or is there even a rule of etiquette concerning this?

Yes, sure, there's an etiquette if you want them to do it "properly".  All of my students learn to do a "bow sandwich" as I call it.  Like a sir sandwhich in the army, but it's a bow sandwhich instead .  They bow to the audience before sitting down, and bow after they stand up.  This is proper etiquette, but the bow is actually a kind of thank you to the audience for clapping and sometimes the audience isn't exactly trained, either .  However, many times kids will forget to bow, even if we've practiced it in their lessons several times per lesson for a few weeks before the recital (including within studio classes, too!).  So, the performer always goes to the side of the piano that faces the audience and this is for the purpose of greeting the audience with a bow.

[asianpianoer]

well my previous teacher taught the "audience" consisting of parents only to clap after the performer has signalled the finish - putting the hand on the end of the piano