I remember my mom telling me after my third college audition that even though she knew how terribly anxious I was, she thought that she might be even more nervous for me than I was. I didn’t believe her at first (I mean, I was clammy, shaking, red-faced…all the hallmarks of intense performance anxiety) . But, as time goes on and I have stepped into mentoring, teaching roles at times I do think she may have been right. As supporters, guardians, parents, loved ones of musicians, it is difficult to see a young person struggle to overcome extreme nerves. So, why do we make ourselves do this? Because, recitals aren’t just about performance; they’re about growth, confidence, and celebration. Read on to learn about why these events are so essential and how to help your student succeed.
Why Recitals Matter
1. Build Confidence
Performing in front of others teaches resilience and self-assurance. I am a very laid back person. My partner once referred to me as the “queen of the introverts” which I must admit isn’t entirely inaccurate. So, why on earth did I choose to be a professional musician? It’s because of recitals and performances. I found myself so much more confident in myself after playing in a recital—even though concerts were really hard for me (I also am an extremely anxious person), doing them anyway built a sense of pride and accomplishment in me that I wasn’t finding anywhere else. I’ve seen my students who are unable to give speeches or class presentations shine in band concerts where even other teachers didn’t think they would be able to succeed due to their nerves. The smile on a young musician’s face after a recital makes the stress worth it and teaches them that they can in fact do things that are difficult. Confidence is just as much a reward as demonstrating musical success.
2. Set Clear Goals
Having a performance date gives students a static goalpost to work towards. I know for myself that if I don’t have a performance on the books I find it hard to motivate myself to practice. I’m much more goal-oriented then self-starting, which is the case for many musicians. This is the reason lots of runners sign up for 5ks or readers join book clubs—deadlines are so helpful in getting ourselves to put in the daily work in order to accomplish a task. Though there is certainly value in learning for the sake of learning, building up towards a performance goal can help push a student to give their best effort. It’s much easier to get lazy when one knows there’s no chance of anyone besides an instructor knowing about it. Demonstrating skills in front of an audience is an excellent motivator for a good work ethic!
3. Celebrate Progress
Recitals let students and families see how far they’ve come, not just the mistakes. My grandparents who came to pretty much all of my recitals would always comment on how much progress I made year to year. When it finally came to my senior recital from college, I remember them talking about how far I’d come from my first performances at 5 years old. It’s always important to celebrate the strides one is making and recitals provide excellent milestones by which to measure progress. Watching them back can be a fun experience that helps young musicians see their growth along with capturing memories.
4. Share Music With Others
Music is meant to be shared — it connects people, inspires, and builds community. This has always been something that has drawn me to music. I was a very shy kid who had a hard time talking to people. Music was where I felt I could express myself, and I remember feeling so much joy when people would come up to me after a performance and mention the connection they had with the music. This was such a central piece in why I chose to continue performing, and it’s a special part of recitals. Sure, the music may be selected by a teacher. But, music brings people together in unique ways. It builds a community that comes together to celebrate success.
5. Learn From Peers
Watching others perform opens students’ eyes to new music, techniques, and possibilities. Returning to my own experience, listening to the older students perform was always a huge motivator for me. When I became one of the older students, I felt pride at demonstrating what could be accomplished. Peers are a large part of a student’s success, and performing at recitals allows a showcasing of talents and progress that are really valuable in a young musician’s development.
How to Help Your Student Prepare
1. Encourage Regular, Focused Practice
Help your child break their piece into small sections, practice slowly, and repeat intentionally. There are several posts on this blog regarding proper practice techniques so I won’t spend too much time here. Suffice it to say that being involved in your student’s practice helps build a feeling of teamwork. Knowing that they have a solid support system who values and cares about their music is so important to a young musician. Invest in your student’s success by helping them utilize good practice techniques that will help them have the most successful performance they can.
2. Create “Mini Performances” at Home
Have your student play for family, friends, or even stuffed animals to practice nerves. My parents had me do this all the time as a kid. Every time we hosted a birthday dinner or other event, I’d get asked to show what I was working on in lessons. I absolutely hated it, and also loved it at the same time. Whether or not I did an amazing job, my grandparents would applaud and be so proud of me. It also helped to practice the feeling of nerves, so they weren’t as much of a surprise when it was time for recitals. It’s also super helpful to work on playing a piece all the way through without stopping and being aware of how it feels to be watched and listened to while playing.
3. Normalize Mistakes
Remind them it’s okay to make errors — the goal is expression, not perfection. A 100% perfect performance is very rare. I’ve attended professional orchestra concerts and noticed wrong notes. One of my undergraduate piano professors told me that any performance is only going to be about 70% as good as your best practice session. This was meant to encourage excellent practice, and it worked. In any event, part of the reality of live performance is that mistakes will happen. The goal is to prepare extensively to minimize mistakes, and not panic if and when they happen onstage. This is not to say that we should encourage lazy practice or sloppy playing—it means that focusing on recovery, and the parts of the performance that went well will help a student to avoid fixation and perfectionism. A few missed notes are almost a guarantee, and that’s ok. What matters is the effort, progress, and success of performing an instrument in front of others!
4. Support Positive Mindset
Praise effort, not just results; help them visualize a successful performance. Self talk is a big deal. Even as a professional pianist, I sometimes get in my head during a concert. This can be dangerous as I lose focus on what I’m doing and am more prone to anxiety and mistakes. Focusing on the positive, and trying as hard as possible to be in the moment are so important. Encourage your student to remind themselves how great they will feel afterwards, and how much fun it is to show off their hard work to family and friends. Make sure you focus your encouragement on effort, and not a perfect performance. Being brave enough to perform is a huge deal in and of itself, whether there are a few wrong notes or not!
5. Prepare the Logistics Early
Make sure they know what to bring (music, instrument, water), what to wear, and when to arrive. I’ve written a post before about how to prepare for a performance. Running through all the materials needed, setting out an outfit the night before, visiting the venue if allowed—these things will all helped to calm nerves and help reduce the uncertainty that a performance can bring. The more preparation that can be done beforehand, the better!
Conclusion
Recitals may feel intimidating, but they offer irreplaceable life lessons. With encouragement and preparation, students walk away proud — ready for their next musical milestone. Thank you for reading and best of luck at you or your student’s next performance!
~ Charissa Garrigus, Instructor at Vibe Music Academy
