Amateur Piano Recital

[chopinlover23]

I'm an amateur pianist and have been studying the piano progressively for the past 4 years, I've played in a few student recitals over the years and I've participated (but I didn't win  ) in a piano competition hosted by a piano company called Lyric. Lyric Piano produces pianos here in the Philippines and also sells pianos like Steinway and Sons etc. https://www.lyricpiano.com.ph/

While participating in the competition, I liked the ambience of the recital hall, it wasn't too big nor too small, just right for a recital for an amateur. That when I wanted to play in a recital featuring me and only me but I'm quite nervous that people wont come because I haven't had a major music achievement and I am an amateur. Is it really okay to put up a recital for an amateur like me? What if people would just gawk and think "What is he doing? He shouldn't be playing in such an establishment like this. etc. I'm confident in my abilities as a musician but what pulls me back is what people other than my family and friends would think. BTW, I really am excited in preparing my program, (Chopin, Schumann, Debussy, Poulenc, Liszt)

Hope someone could reverse my views about this =)

[49410enrique]

go for it. rent the hall. learn the music. do the 'marketing'. make sure it's free. take the program to an appreciative audience in prep , i.e. hospital/nusring home/old folks/rehab places, etc too.

enjoy it, epxress yourself. be gracious and appreciate your audience. their reactions are their problem. try to worry not about it.

[chopinlover23]

49410enrique I cannot thank you enough for giving me a hint of confidence boost in my ability. You're right I should play in a recital, I just thought of it while washing the dishes after dinner, How will I grow as a pianist if I dont expose myself to performing?

Thank you again, and I'll let you know how it turned out! I'm planning to give the recital during my Christmas Break this year =)

[davidjosepha]

That sounds like a great idea! Think about it this way: the worst thing that happens is nobody shows up (not very likely, so don't stress that!). Then what? You can give the best damn recital you know how to an empty recital hall and get the joy of playing your music, just as you do at home, but in a room with presumably great acoustics and on a nice piano.

Now, that's worst case scenario. Best case scenario? A ton of people come and you play a great recital that they all enjoy.

A more realistic scenario would be that some people show up, but not a ton, and they hear an amateur put on a great performance and gradually build up a name for yourself and your next recital, more people come.

Take 49410enrique's advice though and play for an audience that would enjoy it whether you play excellently or terribly. It'll give you practice in front of an audience and will boost your confidence. You should also play in front of family and friends in a semi-formal setting--you don't have to dress up or anything, but you should make it clear you want them to sit and listen as if you were giving your performance in the recital hall. No getting up and leaving in the middle or talking or anything. Performing is very different from how you play when you're alone and it's a skill you have to develop.

Good luck!

PS What pieces are you planning on playing?

[chopinlover23]

Here's what I'm planning to play... all from my new repertoire.

Schumann's COMPLETE Kinderszenen
Poulenc's Toccata... (I was supposed to learn Prokofiev's toccata but I thought hard about it and decided to move it to the pieces I'll work on at a later date)
Debussy's Clair de Lune
Chopin's Third Scherzo... (I'm just finishing up on the finale)
Liszt's Liebestraum 3

[davidjosepha]

Here's what I'm planning to play... all from my new repertoire.

Schumann's COMPLETE Kinderszenen
Poulenc's Toccata... (I was supposed to learn Prokofiev's toccata but I thought hard about it and decided to move it to the pieces I'll work on at a later date)
Debussy's Clair de Lune
Chopin's Third Scherzo... (I'm just finishing up on the finale)
Liszt's Liebestraum 3

Sounds good! You have a couple pieces in there that a lot of people will recognize as well as some that the average person not interested in classical music probably wouldn't know. I think that's a good thing.