bex, you can edit your posts using this icon............. ^^

My Teacher is talking about a recital for his students (all ages) - sounds like fun to me... Great story TTigg - I have yet to do it and I admire you very much.

LaValse, that's great. What will you play? I have two more recitals coming up this year: one on Dec. 6 and the next on the 14th. Will play a Brahms intermezzo and a couple of Bach pieces.

TTigg, congratulations on your recital! That takes courage. I know how frightening it can be as I let myself get talked into one or two a year, thinking that it's good experience for me. It does get better and, yes, it's amazing how the shakes manifest themselves in various parts of the body. It's fabulous that you were able to complete most of the piece despite the leg issues!

Bex: the recitals I play in do include children. My feelings about this are that the audience tends to expect MORE from the adult players even if they, too, are beginners. So you feel like there's more pressure on you as an adult to outperform the kids who are likely MUCH less concerned about what the audience thinks of them AND a whole lot less nervous.

I think W.C. Fields said "Never work with kids or dogs." Unless my border collie starts taking lessons, I have no fears from that quarter, BUT the kids are another story...they can usually pull off a better performance with less practice than a scared-out-of-their-mind adult!

(Edited for typo.)

JeanieA: I hear you - I play in recitals with kids as well. I'm often the only adult, or just one of two adults playing. But as my teacher says, "You have nothing to prove. Play for yourself. Play to make music, not to impress anybody."

She said that recently when I had to play in front of two judges last weekend. After an initial bout of nerves, I performed the piece fine.