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Good morning,

I will be giving my second studio recital in a week and have a couple questions:

1)I have 23 students each playing 2-3 pieces (most combined time is less than 3 minutes). Should applause be withheld until the student completes the last piece? Or is applause between pieces better.

2)A handful of student's pieces require the teacher duet. which of the following is preferable?

Johnny Q's Pieces
"Indians" (no duet)
"Bells" (w/ teacher duet)

OR

Johnny Q's Pieces
"Bells" (w/teacher duet)
"Indians"

Does it matter? My thinking is how I will exit smoothly if the teacher duet piece is first up.

3)How do you seat your students? Should they be behind the stage? Sitting in the front row in program order? (I tend to think the latter)

If there is anything else that might be an issue, please bring it up. Thanks!

What effect do these choices have on a student? Might a duet help the student overcome his nervousness, making it easier to do the solo piece afterward? Will applause throw the student, or will it give him a chance to catch his breath and regroup for the next piece?

I agree with KeyString it matters per each student! Sometimes the applause will make them more nervous.
Although, I my first response would be place teacher duet at the end and that will allow you to save the student if they have any errors.

Also YES seat the students in program order to allow the show to flow a lot smoother.

I wouldn't bother trying to enforce anything like that. Most likely the audience will clap anyways, or half of them will, be embarrassed as they remember they weren't supposed to, etc. Inform your students to smile to the audience and nod their thanks in between, then give a full bow after their final piece.
I doubt it matters much, but if you are last then you will have to take the bow with the student. Have a chair near the piano so you can easily go there to play rather than take time walking from where everyone else is seated.

That's a good idea, Morodiene. Do you sit in the chair just through that student's pieces, or through the whole recital?

Regarding the clapping: let them clap. They'll want to.

Seating: front row works best in most halls. But if it's a big climb to the stage then backstage might be better.

It depends. I also have voice students that I accompany, so for me to sit in the front row that would be a lot of up and down. So I sit in the chair the whole time.

Ok thanks.