Repertoire
Marvin Blickenstaff, Editor
The following articles by Marie Burnette and Noël Hogberg on "theme" recitals reveal creative planning and sensitivity. The creative planning involves determining a theme for the recital which will be of interest to students and parents, and then researching the repertoire appropriate for the theme. Their sensitivity is revealed in an attempt to make a studio recital something well beyond the frightening experience which many of our students report. (This spring, just before my own home studio recital, one of my junior high school boys asked me, "Can you define a nervous breakdown?" I replied, "It's when you are totally out of control." He looked me straight in the eye and mumbled, "I think I'm close!")
Preparation for successful performance experiences
There are several problems with many recitals. Often the students have not had sufficient performing experience, especially with the recital repertoire. Performances that fall below a student's potential are disappointing (and unforgettable) to the student and to the parents. To alleviate that problem, consider these suggestions:
Assign recital
repertoire well in advance, perhaps so far in advance that we
can set the piece aside for several weeks before reviving it for
the program.
Reserve time during the lesson for a "mock recital,"
including announcing the title and composer of the piece, and
proper recital procedure approaching the piano, adjusting the
bench, starting and ending the piece, and bowing. This "mock
recital" performance in the lesson can be recorded, and a
play-back can be accompanied with a discussion of ways to improve
the effectiveness of the interpretation.
Schedule a dress rehearsal at the recital venue which acquaints
the student with the performance instrument and can include some
last-minute fine-tuning of interpretation and recital procedure.
Allow some students to play with the score if that will ensure
a more secure, musical performance.
Program duets for the less experienced performers. Those of us
who teach group piano or have regular repertoire classes find
that students involved in such events are more comfortable with
the performance situation because they perform regularly. (You
will note the fact that both Marie and Noël have several
recitals each year.)
Another issue to consider is the length of our recitals, which, for the audience, can seem endless. There is a natural interest built in to a "theme" recital. The audience is curious how different pieces relate to the theme, and their interest is sustained.
In our Piano Preparatory Department at Goshen College, we frequently scheduled recitals of the students' own compositions. One teacher expanded on the idea of creativity, assigning each of the students in his class a piece from John Robert Poe's Sea Pictures (Carl Fischer). Each student had painted an impression of his/her piece, and placed the painting on an easel prior to performing the piece.
Many of you have
creative ways to solve the trauma that is often associated with
the traditional spring piano recital. Feel free to share your
ideas with us by e-mailing me at marvinrb@enter.net. . . .
from Marie Burnette's article
"Theme" recitals are a way to spark interest in performing
Each year following one of our "theme" recitals, students and parents ask about the theme for the coming year. We find that "theme" recitals are a way to add cohesiveness to a recital and to spark interest in performing. My students also perform in traditional recitals as they prepare for festivals and state music teacher association contests.
Some recitals have been centered around very obvious themes, including Beethoven in 1970, Bach in 1985, Mozart in 1991, and of course, Christmas and Halloween recitals. For Halloween recitals, the students were divided into two groups by age. They wore costumes. The students voted on the best costume, with prizes awarded to the winners. At that time, I had a black cat, "Vivace," who assisted appropriately with the Halloween decor. Pieces included "Witches, Bats and Howling Cats" by Noona (Heritage) and "Graceful Ghost Rag" by William Bolcom (Marks)
Other ideas for themes, finding suitable repertoire, costumes, "props," and programs
All about cats
I usually spend a year in advance finding the repertoire for
these recitals. When I decide on a theme, I then start noticing
anything relating to that topic. For example, for the cat recital,
I went through the files at various music stores and my own library.
I checked catalogs and ordered anything to do with cats. The recital
was titled Fabulous Felines. Each student played two or
three pieces. (Colleagues doubted that I could find enough pieces
for each student to play even one piece. My problem was
finding too much material!) Included on the recital were all of
Margaret Goldston's Duets for Cat Lovers (Alfred), "The
Cat and the Mouse" by Copland (Boosey and Hawkes), "Mi-a-ou"
from The Dolly Suite by Fauré (from Weekley and
Arganbright's Twice as Nice, Vol. 2; publisher:
Kjos), and "The Feisty Feline" by Demarest (Myklas).
. .
Marie Burnette teaches piano and organ in her studio in High Point, NC. She received the B.M., B.A., and M.M. from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She has served as president of NCMTA, national secretary and Independent Music Teachers Forum chair for MTNA, and founding member and officer of the High Point Piano Teachers Association.
from Noël Hogberg's article
"What's the next theme going to be?"
"What's the next theme going to be?" This question follows every recital, usually after students have just watched their last performance on video. The consensus of both students and parents is that "theme" recitals are more interesting. Jimmy, 12, said a "theme" recital "gets me in a mood and it all hangs together." Sarah, 13, said "It's more fun to choose music to fit a theme, and listening is more fun when the pieces are all related." Paul, a senior, stated he could better identify with what others were playing and it made for a more interesting learning experience. Karen, a recent graduate, felt that because the pieces were related, she felt more connected to the other students. Mary, who is both a parent and a student, said "It was interesting to hear different composers' interpretation of the same subject."
Having "theme" recitals has been a great help to me. Music stores are my downfall. They are like grocery shopping when you are hungry. With eight file drawers full of music, not to mention what is under the sofas, I find "theme" recitals to be the only solution to a truly daunting selection process.
A great deal of program music can be grouped into several categories.
These can then become themes. If a theme is broad enough, it can
be recycled in different ways. For instance, there can be several
recitals with nature as a theme, each with a different emphasis:
flowers and trees; birds, bugs, and animals; weather or water.
Dances can be another broad theme with recitals based on dances
from different parts of the world, from different historical periods,
or different types of dances. Nations of the world presents further
possibilities. This could be subdivided into recitals based on
American composers, music from other countries, folk music, or
national anthems. Some specific ideas for "theme" recitals
follow. . .
Noël Jahns Hogberg is a board member of the Naperville Chapter of the ISMTA. She studied piano at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago for ten years and is a graduate of Valparaiso University. Since her retirement from teaching in secondary schools, she has maintained a studio in her home where her students range in age from seven to seventy-seven
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