Knowing they’re working towards a recital can nudge your students into putting more effort into their performance preparation. They don’t want to look silly up on the stage. But knowing they’re working towards a one-of-a-kind recital that’s not like anything they’ve ever done before… Well, that kicks them into action. They’re enthusiastic.
Knowing they’re working towards a recital can nudge your students into putting more effort into their performance preparation.
They don’t want to look silly up on the stage.
But knowing they’re working towards a one-of-a-kind recital that’s not like anything they’ve ever done before…
Well, that kicks them into action. They’re enthusiastic. They’re buzzing to take part in it.
Plus, an interesting theme makes the recital seem less intimidating and nerve-wracking.
But how can you think outside the box for recital ideas?
Olivia Ellis (from creativepianoteacher.com) shares themed recitals her students have loved.
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Everyone dressed in fancy gowns and suits – performers and audience members!
Rather than a straight-on audience, we set up tables that students’ families and friends sat around.
Each table was themed around Rodgers and Hammerstein – for example, we had a Cinderella table and a South Pacific table.
You can put a framed still from the movie on the table with the movie’s title on a table sign. Maybe a couple of decorations or ornaments that link to the table’s theme.
The audience enjoyed fancy cupcakes and desserts while the students played.
Each student shared a little fact about their piece they’d prepared for the performance. This helped to tie the music together with the theme.
It was a really special night.
We’ve hosted other composer-themed recitals.
The John Williams-themed recital, in particular, had a big crowd- many people love his music.
And one thing people are still talking about 10 years after the event – when one student was playing the Jaws theme, another student dressed up like a shark and ran through the audience!
The performance prep for this recital involved students writing original fairytale-inspired stories.
We then matched them with piano ensemble music that the students played while wearing costumes of their favourite fairytale characters.
We’ve actually done several of these because they’re such a hit!
We take a 1920s silent film and break it down into chunks.
Each student is allocated a section of the film, and they compose an accompaniment for the action.
The film is projected onto the screen, and the students take turns playing their accompaniment.
Even though they have their individual parts, it’s still a collaborative project as they work together to create the entire soundtrack.
One year, each student recorded their accompaniment – there was no live music. We had a popcorn party and invited their friends and family to watch the premiere of the film.
We like to do extra things for our recitals, so we put up 1920s-themed decorations. We even asked the audience members to wear 1920s attire, which, surprisingly, many of them did!
One year, we chose a Charlie Chaplin film. One student dressed up in the clothes and hat and wobbled onto the stage. It was such a surprise in the middle of the concert – no one expected it, but everyone loved it!
One of my favourite recitals we’ve hosted is a murder mystery that I co-wrote with my friend Angela Marshall.
It was called “Under Arrest” and was a piano play—like a musical, but the students played the piano instead of singing.
The storyline followed a group of eight pianists in a duet competition, so it made sense that they played all of this music together.
But it was all couched within a story – early on in the show, the judge of the piano competition was murdered.
So, the audience had to figure out who murdered the judge while they were listening to all this great piano music.
There was a theme song that appeared throughout the show called “88 Keys.” And after the judge is murdered, the song turns minor.
We also had a lot of fun coming up with the characters’ names: Henley Score, Grace Note, and Mr. Albert E. Bass.
The pieces that were played fit with the theme the best they could – we had Chopin’s Funeral March after the judge was murdered. But it didn’t really matter because the concept of the piano competition meant they were playing whatever the contestants were playing.
I love to put a cozier spin on the generic Christmas concert by incorporating children’s Christmas stories.
We’ll have someone narrate a story, like ‘Snowmen at Christmas’, or ‘The Berenstain Bears’ Christmas Tree’.
The performers will either play background music while the story is narrated, or they’ll have a solo piece to break up the story.
We also project images of the book on a screen so the audience can read along and see the illustrations.
This is a project I worked on with just a small group of students.
They individually recorded their pieces and narrated a short children’s story over the top.
We shared it with local libraries and they premiered it on their website.
For even more tips and ideas on helping students prepare for performances, download our free TopMusicMag: Fearless Performers.
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Web says:
Wow, this is all so creative and inspiring! I absolutely love how you’ve woven storytelling, music, and visual elements together to make recitals truly memorable experiences. The “88 Keys” concept with the minor key shift after the judge’s murder is such a clever musical touch — and the character names are brilliant! The idea of combining children’s stories with live piano is both heartwarming and educational, and I’m sure it leaves a lasting impression on the audience. Also, the practical tips for organizing out-of-the-box recitals are gold — especially the reminder to involve parents and make it feel like a show. Definitely taking notes for future events. Thanks for sharing, Georgina!