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“The piano keys are black and white, but they sound like a million colors in your mind.”
– Maria Cristina Mena

A recital gives students a timeline and goal to reach, is a time for my students to show off what they learn in their lessons. Students work hard to practice one or more pieces to perform in front of friends and family. This is a very special event for all of us. 

The recital length can vary depending on how many students are on the playlist and the difficulty level of each piece. Beginning students may have short pieces that are only two or three minutes long. Advance students may have more advance pieces that are longer than two minutes.

When you attend a piano recital, you want to dress appropriately for the event. Usually, the performer has strict guidelines on what to wear or not wear. As part of the audience, you want to dress acording.

Arrive on time

Double-check when the recital starts, and aim to be there at least 15 minutes early. You don’t want to interrupt the recital after it is in full swing. If you are running late, wait until a music piece is over before you enter. Entering midway through can cause a student to lose focus

Turn your phone to silence mode

Make sure to turn the sound off on your phone when you enter a recital. Some are recording the piano recital live. These tracks can help a student have mementos from the big day. You don’t want the phone that rings in the worse moment to be yours.

Don’t leave in the middle of a performance

As a general rule, don’t ever leave in the middle of a recital. Most recitals last around an hour, so it shouldn’t be hard to stay and respect all students performance. If it goes longer, there usually is an intermission and a chance for a bathroom break.

However, if nature is urgently calling, try to wait until the piece is over. You can make your dash when the pianist’s hands come off the keys. Just try not to bang a door behind you in your hurry!

Clap appropriately

There are specific rules about when and when not to clap.

Some pieces have a short pause before the next movement begins. This pause makes you think the music is over, but the piece isn’t through yet! Never clap between movements in a classical piece, make sure to clap at the end, if you are not sure, wait until you hear several people start to clap and clap along.