Music is meant to be shared! It’s so fun & motivating to hear a wide variety of music & personal expression. Plus, students gain poise and confidence by successfully conquering the inevitable nerves. It’s also super motivating to have a specific event to prepare for. And, after all the hard work parents & students put in every day, don’t we deserve a moment of recognition and celebration?
So how can parents help their children have a wonderful recital experience?
- praise them often & generously at home (and leave most of the instruction to me)
- during everyday practice, consistently share specific praise about
- what you see in them as a person
- how their music makes you feel
- their progress
- their effort
- their musical expression
- routinely give them opportunities to share music in a relaxed environment, and let them choose what to play
- when grandma visits
- during a play date (they could even teach their friend a song!)
- as part of your family’s holiday traditions throughout the year
- fun family music time, singing & playing together often
- be sure to thank & compliment afterwards
- we want to feed the feeling that sharing music is fun & rewarding
- before a studio recital, let them show their song to a few people, even just family
- they’ll probably get a little nervous, so they’ll get to practice playing anyway
- and then they get the reward of smiles, applause & praise!
Both at home and at recitals, we all need to feel celebrated for who we are, for things we’re working on, and for every creative expression of ourselves. These moments matter.
Just Create! 