Glowing Recital Thoughts
I am sitting in my backyard as I write this. The sun is setting just beyond the prettyish sort of wilderness in our neighboring lot, and the scent of honeysuckle hangs in the air. It’s a perfect moment, and I am happy to be able to savor it.
My recital was last night, and although it turned out to be one of the best recitals I’ve ever had, there’s still a touch of those post event blues. For this purpose, I have the perfect playlist, aptly titled Post Event Blues and Recovery. It’s got everything from Adele to Sierra Hulla to Liz Vice to a bunch of Irish guys playing banjos. It’s nice to have good company.
For this recital, I tried a couple of things that I’ve never done in a recital before:
- Original compositions performed by students
- Several Little Gems for Piano by Paula Dreyer
- An introduction that used the titles of students’ pieces.
First, the original compositions came about due to my most successful year of composing (more details to come on that this week). Four students performed their originals. The first embraced the idea of ABA format in her black key piece and created a beautiful soundscape called Shimmer, Bright Star. Another composed a super catchy tune to the Mother Goose rhyme Babbity Bouster Bumblebee that was in 12/8 time. (She’s too young to know what she did, but it definitely worked in that meter!) I still sing Babbity to myself because I love it so much. A third student chose to set her piece, The Dark Swamp, in D minor. We ended up finding a piece called Storming the Castle that was also set in D minor. She performed them very effectively as a set. The fourth student composed a piece that she wanted to use as a score to a romantic anime called Shiro Memories. It was fun to hear her develop the themes, and to also go on a journey completely imagined by her.
Second, with this recital, I wanted the younger students to play something outside their method books. I was very tired (VERY TIRED) of having a beginner perform Ode to Joy, or something similar. I decided to use a bunch of pieces from Little Gems so that the students and audience could hear something unique. It ended up being a great decision. For the shy students, the pattern pieces were easy to learn, and they could focus on having good technique. For the more confident students, the pieces were an opportunity for creativity. I asked them to add on to the patterns, and several performed their extended versions for the recital. Thank you, Paula Dreyer!
Small side note: One of my favorite parts of the recital was sitting out of sight behind the grand piano as many of my older students played. They have been with me for two years now, and have developed their confidence to the point that they don’t need me playing duets with them in order for them to sound good. They can fill a room with sound on their own.
Third, I’ve often looked at recital lists and tried to come up with a story using all of the titles. It’s a fun little game to play, and I definitely recommend it. This year, I decided to use that idea to set the stage for the recital. Below is what I said after my opening reminders about phones and such. The italics are all either word for word titles, or slight twists on them.
Together, we have all been on a musical journey this year. Everyone’s journey looks and sounds a bit different, and each new discovery and skill add up to a beautiful adventure. Tonight, I invite you to listen to snapshots of these journeys.
This journey will take us to many places, past old moons covered in moon dust, beyond shimmering, bright stars, through a Japanese garden where a current runs softly. We will hear frogs leap on lily pads in the clear stream, while robots stare at their reflections. We will listen to a giraffe talk about her day, watch prairie dogs jump and bounce. We will hear minuets, all night and day. Be advised, you may also have to hunt for your umbrella. We will dance with Frankenstein and flamingos, remember Shiro, and watch Chinese lanterns light up the sky. There will be dangers here, too, diversions fearful and wild: dark swamps, castles, pirates…and bumblebees. You might have some questions, like “Where has my little dog gone?” or “What do you do?” or even “What’s that noise?”
Wherever our journey takes us, I hope you students remember that when I’m feeling blue, I think of you, and you bring me joy.
I loved writing this. I know the students caught onto what was happening, and were listening for their pieces to be mentioned. That is infinitely better than sitting there quaking from nerves.
My favorite line is the last one. “When I’m feeling blue, I think of you, and you bring me joy.” The first piece of the recital was a jazzy duet that I played with one of my younger students titled When I’m Feeling Blue. I could hear him singing along very softly as we played. For the final piece, I chose to play I Think of You by Alma Deutscher. Playing it always helps me think about how pure love changes us. Knowing that those two pieces were on the same program brings such a glow to my heart.
I am one happy teacher.
Future Plans
Even with all that happiness, though, I am also excited about having a semi-break from regular teaching this week. As one piano teacher once told me, “Make sure you have a life. It’ll help with the burnout.” I will be putting together some ideas for my own summer repertoire, finishing some books, writing, and building my garden. And I’m planning a quilt. I also plan on hanging out with a lot of adults. I love my kiddos, but for all my ability to teach piano and talk about unicorns and/or the Mandalorian, I also want to talk about other things, like books, the economy, and podcasts. Oh, and Bible commentaries written by women. Here’s to a great recital and having a life.
rachel palm's piano studio 