Christmas Recital

My studio is in the midst of Christmas "excitement".  Our Christmas recital is scheduled for the evening of December 3rd and everyone is practicing hard!  Because I also have lots of responsibilities at my church at this time of year, I need to have the studio recital earlier in the month.  I also find that it's a good time for parents because it happens before many other Christmas activities are scheduled.

I have lots of beginning students so this year the recital includes some Christmas and Non-Christmas songs.  As you know, songs for beginning students are pretty short...30 seconds or so??  Even if each beginning student played through a song twice, it would be a pretty short!  When parents come to watch their children, I want them to be able to enjoy their child's playing for longer than a minute!  So each student will be playing 3 songs - 2 non-seasonal songs that we have been working on in lessons and one Christmas song.  Of those 3 songs, one will be a duet with me or another student to also celebrate the "Year of Collaborative Music".

The order for the evening will include each student performing 2 non-seasonal songs, one right after the other and then when everyone is done with those, they will each go back up to the piano and perform their Christmas selection so that we end with the Christmas spirit!  I will also introduce each student and share a bit about them and the songs they will be playing.

And of course...what's a recital without a reception with goodies?!  My parents are all bringing desserts to share and I'll be providing drinks. (Have I mentioned that I have THE best parents of any piano teacher?) One big advantage for me is that I have use of my church for the recital.  I use the sanctuary for the performances and a connected area that includes a little kitchenette for the reception.  It works out super well.  I'm also using siblings of some of my students to be "ushers" and pass out programs.  They often come to lessons and wait with their moms so I've gotten to know some of them quite well.  They're excited to do this "grown-up" job! 

This year I'm going to be recording performances so that each student will have a copy to remember the evening (and for some - to remember their first recital!).  One of my friends from church who works with the sound system (and does an incredible job!) told me he would come to the recital and take care of everything!  He's also a photographer so he's planning to take all the pictures for me!  I am very blessed to have him!

I am directing our Christmas musical at church the following weekend so all the decorations are going up the week before the recital!  The room will be surrounded with Christmas beauty!  I'm very thankful I won't have to decorate twice! 

Well, that's a look at what I'm doing...what are you planning this year?