Tips for a Successful Recital

We've watched a lot of recitals here at Amro, and these are a few suggestions for making yours go smoothly.

Don’t do all the work yourself – this is your time to shine as well. Most successful recitals are team efforts.  Most parents are more than willing to help by providing snacks, taking pictures, and even staying late to help clean up.  When announcing the recital, you could send home a letter with the details but also list some jobs or responsibilities (drinks, cookies, clean-up, etc.) that you need assistance with.

Timing and creating a great program are key.

Ideal recitals last an hour to an hour and a half.  Parents want to hear their children but they also have a limited attention span.  Keep them interested by keeping the program short.
If you have more than 20 students, consider breaking the recital into 2 performances.

Creating the right flow can also aid in keeping parents' attention.  Mix up the difficulty levels to break up monotony (beginner, intermediate, beginner, etc.) but also to stifle the sense of competition.  Try to start with young beginners-- they get antsy!

Make sure parents have all the information they need in advance.

Will there be a rehearsal?  (We recommend it!) Do you expect students to be dressed formally? Do students need to arrive early to practice? Ask if any of them can bring a camera to capture pictures of the event. Make sure parents know the address of the venue!

Most important: Book your recital at least 2 months in advance!

Remember that there are recital seasons in late spring and at Christmastime.  Those slots book quickly, so be sure to call well in advance.  Call Heather Cantrell at (901) 323-8888 or e-mail her here.