Senior Recital Programming

[thebuchertrain]

Next May, I'll be playing an hour long recital for my bachelors in music, and here's what I'm thinking about it so far. I've never done a recital before, so I'm wondering what you guys have experienced doing this.

So... does anyone have suggestions?

Pieces I'm probably playing, and currently working on:
Prelude and Fugue in Ab Major (Book I)- Bach
Etude op. 10 no. 4- Chopin
Gershwin Preludes
Rondo Capriccioso op. 14 - Mendelssohn
Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise in E-flat major- Chopin

Stuff I'm considering:

Great Gate of Kiev- Mussorgsky
Valse Impromptu- Liszt
Doctor Gradus Ad Parnassum- Debussy

Pieces from the past I might resurrect:

Sonata in a minor k310- Mozart
Waldstein Sonata- Beethoven
Etude op. 24 no. 1- Chopin
Ballade no. 1 - Chopin
Scherzo no. 2- Chopin
Italian Concerto- Bach
Faschingsschwank aus wien: Finale- Schumann
Sonata no. 2 in g minor (1st mvmt)- Schumann

So.. yea. Just seeing if anyone has any ideas on either this, or on something else i could do. Also, what would be a good order to play them in?

Oh yea, and I'm somewhat hesitant to play more than 1 piece that I've worked on before- I like discovering and learning new pieces.

[pianisten1989]

Well, first you should get some experience, and play recitals, or you will get some major problems.

[thebuchertrain]

Like what kind of problems? I've performed for long periods of time in front of other people before- I play in a restaurant, and have done performance classes. Is a solo recital that different?

[omar_roy]

Like what kind of problems? I've performed for long periods of time in front of other people before- I play in a restaurant, and have done performance classes. Is a solo recital that different?

In a word, yes.

[phillip21]

An hour is quite an undertaking - it is the about the same as a semi-final recital at a major piano competition or a high-level diploma here in UK.  If it were me I would seek out one or two 30 minute church lunchtime concert slots before May (is that May 2011?) and try out some of the repertoire at those.  If you are allowed, I would also choose pieces with repeats in to reduce the amount you have to learn.

[thebuchertrain]

Thanks for the advice! And its for May 2012, so I have an extra year haha. I'll probably end up playing my some of my program at the restaurant, and maybe a piece or 2 at a student recital, but the church concerts are really a good idea.

[omar_roy]

Don't limit yourself to official performances.  You gotta make your own performances too!

Bribe friends with food and drink to listen to you play through your program.  The best way to get used to playing in front of people is to play in front of people!