Watching children perform on stage is a magical moment for their families, but what makes a recital so important to the student? Well, that list is long. The benefits of performance can range, and studies have even been conducted on the cross-over benefits to their academic success.

EXPRESSION

The recital is an excellent opportunity for students to share their passion for music. Performing gives students a chance to express themselves, which some find more manageable than writing or speaking words. They can pour their heart and soul into their piano playing when they may not have the words to express themselves. A recital gives them a platform to share a piece of themselves with others.

CONFIDENCE

Up to this point, your child may have never been on stage before. A recital may be their first experience dealing with nerves; stage fright can affect people of any age. Starting with recitals at a young age creates an excellent opportunity for both parents and piano teachers to talk to students about being in front of a group and how to work on accepting and dealing with nervousness. When students are taught to overcome nerves and the feeling of stress, they gain confidence. This confidence will carry through their life as they encounter occasions to be in the spotlight through performance or public speaking.

RESILIENCE

In life, we all make mistakes; that is a certainty. The students that are performing are no exception to this rule. With hours of practice and hard work, the errors are less likely, but piano students have an essential skill to practice: recovery when they do happen. Being in front of an audience, they must immediately recover, and they are the only person that can take that action. Teachers will work with the students to review the steps for when mistakes are made. Achieving the comfort level to continue takes practice, which will happen in their lessons. They will learn that recovery is quick; taking a breath and resuming play versus showing frustration or quitting. Often the lesson learned is that the audience is unaware of the mistake unless a significant reaction is made. The recital, with an audience, allows the students to put their skills into practice and solidify their learnings. The ability to be resilient is an essential skill for everyone, and developing it at a young age will help build a foundation that will serve them in all areas of life. This will help give them the confidence to try new things without fear of failure or expectation of perfection. Each recital that a student participates in reinforces a sense of familiarity for the students. This process will increase their confidence and allow them to challenge themselves further as their nerves settle.

RECOGNITION

While we strongly encourage piano students to play for their friends and family at home at every opportunity, there’s something about being on a larger stage in front of more people that makes playing feel special and allows your child to show how far they’ve come in their progress. Students put in many hours of hard work in front of the piano. Performing in a recital is a way of recognizing their efforts and achievements.

Recitals allow parents of students to deepen the bonds with their children. By expressing interest in their children’s piano activities, parents show them that they support what their children are doing. When parents clap in response to their children, they show that they recognize the children's efforts. Seeing how their parents support them makes them feel loved and motivated to continue to work hard. Plus, recitals offer a great photo op for your next social media post!

COMMUNITY

Participating at a recital affords students a valuable chance to interact with and support others who are also learning the piano. It is hugely motivating to see fellow students performing, observe others playing techniques and hear new compositions they can aspire to learn. While playing the piano can be a solitary activity, at Edmonton Suzuki Piano School, we have many ways in which we incorporate group interaction, with group lessons, workshops, and recitals. Creating a community for the students is a value we cherish. Having students happily learning together and striving towards excellence will increase their commitment and develop a deeper interest in music and lessons. The recital is where all of this connection is brought together in a showcase of skills.

PROGRESS

Learning a new skill can often seem like a slow process, and the recitals allow the students to experience the sense of pride that comes from playing before a recital audience. Having a specific goal to work toward creates a need to learn and practice time management, discipline, focus and self-motivation. With the return to lessons each year, habits and skills need to be reset, and as the days progress, routines get set, and life is settled. Having a deadline to work towards allows the students to rise above the chaos of a new year at both school and piano and into a structured, disciplined process. This creates a routine and stability that all children need to have, even if they cannot voice it themselves.

When students know that they are preparing for a recital, they develop motivation and discipline; they polish their skills and practice the performance piece, making it a point to give their best. Participation in a recital motivates students to perfect a piece. There will inevitably be some challenging parts, and a student may attempt to gloss over these difficult sections. However, if they are preparing for a recital, they will put in the effort to perfect the piece. Some students perform their best to win the audience's approval, while others are self-motivated and driven by pride in their mastery. With the positive reinforcement of the audience’s applause at the recital, students will be inspired to continue their progression as their hard work is recognized. A cycle of hard work and positive reinforcement is a great experience and lesson for life.

RECITALS AT EDMONTON SUZUKI PIANO SCHOOL

At Edmonton Suzuki Piano School, recitals are essential for our program. The philosophy of educating the whole child with an individualized progression and moving with the student's rhythm means that each student will progress at a different speed. Each year, every student will perform in at least two studio-based recitals in some of Edmonton’s premier concert halls to showcase their development and progress. Each teacher hosts concerts for their students, from the earliest beginners to the most advanced musicians in book seven. Students are also given performance opportunities at other concert events like the Family Fun Ensemble Concert, Keys in the Community outreach program, seasonal recitals, workshops and festivals. Families are encouraged to hold informal concerts at home for family and friends as much as possible.

Would you like more information on our programs? Contact us today!

Why Are Recitals Important?