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Does your teacher have Student Recitals?

Do you play in them?

Does your teacher have other adult students?

Are you the only adult on the program???

For bonus points, and a tie-in to the "first piece" thread, what was the first piece you played in a Student Recital (as an adult if you are a retread)?

My teacher doesn't have recitals. He does have other adult students.

Yes, no, yes, no. My teacher says that if I want to play in a recital I can, but evidently none of the adults do this(big surprise).
Jon

Does your teacher have Student Recitals? Yes

Do you play in them? No

Does your teacher have other adult students? Yes

For the adult students she has informal get togethers at her house with food and wine, and everyone plays something. This only is done once or twice a year. We all had the choice regarding the more formal studio recital - and all declined to play.

First song I played was a Franz Schubert Waltz OP 18 No. 5. It is sure hard to play anything when you hands are shaking!

(waves to mom/3) Hi, neighbor.

Yeah, it's really hard to play when the keys are all moving around on the keyboard like that, isn't it?

After my first recital, I think it took a good ten minutes for my hands to stop shaking.

Some performers love the rush. They say, "I never feel more alive than when I am playing on stage." For me, it was more like a near-death experience.

Mom,

I like the idea of an informal get together rather than a recital. My teacher has been a bit vague about the recitals but I have already told him that it isn't happening with me. :p

Due to vacations our lesson schedules got moved around a bit. As it worked out there was a level 9 student right before my lesson. I listened to this cute 17 year old girl play the heck out of the same piano that I struggle with every week. No way am I going to play anywhere near her.

Great thread, PJ!

Does your teacher have Student Recitals? Yes, three a year. She also has monthly "group class" where all of the students come together at her house and play their pieces, just to get some extra chances to work out the kinks.

Do you play in them? Yes. My daughters have to play, so I figure I have to set them a good example. My teacher was willing to give me a pass, but I wanted to start doing recitals because I figured the sooner I got over the nerves, the better. It's just, um, taking a lot longer than I figured. I still get balled up in knots every time (and yes, the keyboard does seem to move during a performance!). I played my first recital after 18 months of lessons.

Does your teacher have other adult students? Yes, but I'm the only adult beginner. It's lonely at the bottom! The single freakiest thing about performing in that setting is that I stick out like a sore thumb among all the cute little girls in pig tails, plus the fact that I'm playing for people I have to interact with the rest of the year. I think I get the sympathy vote, though, and everyone is very positive in their remarks to me, thankfully.

Are you the only adult on the program??? Nope, but the others are much more advanced. There is one other intermediate-advanced mom returning to lessons, and her stage fright is worse than mine, if that's possible.

Does your teacher have Student Recitals? Yes, three times a year. Though we call them "workshops"!

Do you play in them? I have

Does your teacher have other adult students? Yes, there are 6 of us, all women.

Are you the only adult on the program??? See Above

For bonus points, and a tie-in to the "first piece" thread, what was the first piece you played in a Student Recital (as an adult if you are a retread)?
I had to play a Bach prelude the first time, a disaster.(It didn't help that the parents in the audience were the "Who's Who" of our little town, a Selectman, School Board member etc. YIKES! Here I was with the kids butchering Bach!! )

Second time was "First Loss" by Schumann, played pretty well (my teacher plays back the tape at the next lesson)

After having played with the kids for about 2 years, I got tired of hearing Twinkle Twinkle and Penguin Blues ad nauseam. I suggested we do an adults only program, and we have done that ever since. Much more relaxed, we can commiserate on our nervous feelings and encourage each other.

We now have taken it to a different level and have started Round Robin to each other's houses. I hosted the first, the next was on a Golden era M+H, next we are off to a Kimball spinet! It has turned out to be lots of fun, great experience and takes the pressure off our teacher to host all the time..

BeeLady,

What a wonderful idea! I'd love to get together with some of the other adults and get to know them better. I think suggest it!

Thanks!

And Cindy, you can have wine at the adults recitals!!!! We do reserve it for AFTER performance however... :rolleyes:

Does your teacher have Student Recitals?
Yes 2-3 per year

Do you play in them?

She does not make it mandatory but leaves it open as an option. I didn't play in the first one but played in the last one. Working through stage fright issues so I am trying to take advantage of opportunities to play in front of other people.

Does your teacher have other adult students?

Yes

Are you the only adult on the program???

One of the other adults she teaches was the only adult student in the first recital (since I went back to lessons) and it was me and him at the last one. I went first and he last. Of course our teacher always plays at the recital too but of course she is much more advanced than the rest of us. Like Cindy I also think if you have children playing it's great to try to set an example. I also think if I was the only adult I would be less likely to put myself out there you don't feel like you stick out so bad when there is another adult on the program.

For bonus points, and a tie-in to the "first piece" thread, what was the first piece you played in a Student Recital (as an adult if you are a retread)?

I'm a retread and my first recital coming back to piano I played a Bach Invention (No.8) and a Rachmaninoff Etude Tableau (the one in G minor). Actually the first time I played the Rach it was in an amateur competition and it went really bad but when I played it at the recital it wasn't completely disastrous it actually kind of went somewhat well.

Cathy

Wine after? Nope, we drink before we play, the idea being we will be more relaxed...

I don't play in the recitals that my daughter does, and my excuse is I want that performance and time to be about her and the progress she has made.

Great excuse Mom! Not a bad excuse for drinking wine either.

Hi everybody - I've been lurking around this site for a bit, finally registered today. Thought I'd introduce myself and respond to this post. my name is Paul, I'm 28 years old, have been a bass player (jazz/fusion) for the last 10 years, and about 10 months ago I decided on a whim to start taking piano lessons and it has been amazing. It has truly had a profound impact on my musicianship. Anyway, I hope to soon post some MP3's in the recording forum of my recent recital performance, which leads me to responses to this thread!

Yes, one so far.

Yes I did! (though I was nervous, even though playing bass on stage in front of a crowd never bothered me, sitting in front of a quiet crowd to perform solo piano was quite another story!)

Yes, 2 or 3 and probably 10 kids.

I was the only adult on the recital! I wasn't aware of this until I showed up. Felt kinda funny

Chopin Waltz in A-minor (Op. Posth.)

Anyway - I recorded that very recital, and made up nice labels and gave CD copies to all the kids/families. I'll try to post my pieces later on tonight or so.

-Paul

"gave CD copies to all the kids/families"

No pressure. I can hear it now... "now Jimmie, do a good job with your Fur Elise because we're going to be playing that CD to all your friends and relatives for years to come".

Paul, Welcome to the Forum!

And may I be the first to say . . .

**WOW!!**

I won't even let my husband video record my recitals. I'd prefer that my in-laws stop coming, sitting there sweetly with three huge bunches of flowers for me and their granddaughters. I'd prefer that the audience just talk quietly among themselves while I'm playing, actually, and stop with all the *staring.*

Maybe I should just be a lounge performer.

Cindy -- who loves that Chopin Waltz and still counts it among her favorites and thinks it is a great piece for adults because it sounds so very classy

Hey, now there's a thought! Instead of having a glass of wine yourself before performing, only play when the audience thoroughly sauced and not really paying any attention to you.

That should eliminate all traces of stage fright.

And you should be able to get away with a repertoire of only three or four pieces, and you can just play them over and over. Nobody will remember what you were playing ten minutes ago.
__________

When I have a few minutes, I'll come back in here and actually answer the questions in the OP.

Yes my new teacher has them. I've only been with her since June so I haven't played in one yet, but I will within the next few weeks. I keep forgetting to ask if she has other adult students - don't think so.

My old teacher in San Diego had several a year. I played because I figured I had to do it until I didn't get nervous anymore. Never happened.

First Recital - Fur Elise - could barely keep my shaking fingers on the keyboard.

2nd Recital - Gershwin's Prelude II - Better, but still shaking - foot shook pretty bad too. I pedal barefoot.

3rd Recital - Debussy's Golligwog's Cakewalk. This one was the best because she used a big hall and I got to play on a Steinway 9' Concert Grand. I because so absorbed in the piano that I forgot there were people out there. I actually didn't shake too much that time.

Then we moved and I escaped that obligation. Actually, I think it will be better now. I dont' get nervous in piano stores, Costco - places like that where there are pianos. I try to play in front of people so I can get over it!!!

"2nd Recital - Gershwin's Prelude II - Better, but still shaking - foot shook pretty bad too. I pedal barefoot."

Teachum,

Do you usually get a pedicure before a recital? If so would you only get it on one foot or both?
Do you walk out with only one shoe on, both shoes on, or no shoes on? Also, what about sox how do they fit in the mix.

You know your making this way too much fun :p

I wish my teacher organised recitals.
Apart from my partner, she is the only person I play in front of.
I felt really self-conscious playing at my exams to the examiner and knowing that the other people in the waiting room were listening aswell.
Luckily, I make my worst mistakes at the beginning in the scales section. My pride kicks in then and I'm able to raise my game. Daft psychology I know. :rolleyes: