Comments

Sounds like an overall great recital, Emily!! Yay! I'm sure your Mozart was WONDERFUL and those crazy tempos from your kids are out of pure nerves, so its great you are doing these recitals so they get experience!! I hated recitals growing up(heck i still do) but they are so important. Glad it went well for you and your students. I wish I'd known in time, I would have attended today.

My first recital is next week. My performance in the rehearsals so far has been dismal. Playing beside other cellists who far exceed my capabilities causes me to lose my intonation. My fingers just can't find those ringing tones that I get at home :(

Wish me (and my teacher) luck!

Congratulations, Emily. It sounds like your recital went very well, especially your own performance.

It is so true that the manner of delivery really makes or breaks the performance. I'm glad you reminded us of this. Stopping does ruin delivery and also makes it impossible to play with others. Some people are very critical of themselves and stop after a tiny error. I've been told that after making a mistake, you should just keep going and make the same mistake the same way on the repeat. The audience will not know that it was a mistake.

Great thoughts--good to be reminded of those things--keeping going, not making faces, etc. Of course, if you're playing with other people and you mess up, you could always make a face at another person, so the audience thinks that it was him instead of you (just kidding, though I have seen people do that before)...no no, no one would ever do that....

I haven't recorded myself at all, but interesting observations about up-close and far-away.

I too hated recitals as a kid, and have no intention of ever subjecting myself to something like that again. But I really do like hearing other people play.

Thanks for your (always interesting) observations.

It's funny, how many people say they hate recitals. I advocate them even if everyone hates them because for most of my students, they need a "due date" to help them keep their goals. Many of them never reach their potential until they have to stand up and play in front of people. I can include myself on that list, too.

After the recital, a 3-year-old whose sisters are currently taking from me approached the piano. The mom said, "She really likes to pick things out on the piano." Her hands were so tiny she moved them like a gymnist doing a floor routine, crossing over and hopping from high to low, her seat scooting across the bench. She played Alouette by ear, with harmony.

I want her!

"Metronome arrest"-- that's house arrest with a metronome, to prevent cardiac arrest and arrhythmnias, I presume...

I hope you will get to work with the harmonizing youngster-- you would have a special task for yourself preserving the quality and joy of those ears of hers. Fun! Good luck...