Recital Week

Recital Week

Jun 2, '12 9:01 AM for Julie's contacts

I spent all week preparing for this years spring student recital. Because of the short week, I had to cram 5 days worth of lessons into 2 days. Evenings were spent going through each students file and deciding who the recipients of awards would be this year. Thursday night was the recital and for the most part, it went well. The worst part was me having to get up in front of all those parents and talk!!!

I have probably said this before, but I have been so very blessed with excellent students...ones who want to come and really want to learn to play piano. I am very proud of each one, even though their performances weren't perfect, as a matter of fact in most cases, they played their music much better earlier in the week. Almost everyone had some sort of memory failure, but they kept their cool, picked up a book if necessary, and tried again. I've decided for next year I'm going to revamp my memory award. Currently, the award is given to any student who successfully plays all their recital pieces from memory at the recital. Because of nerves and whatever else gets in the way, I'm thinking I will set a goal of a certain amount of pieces to be played by memory by a certain date in order to earn the award. If they play them by memory for the recital, great, but if they played them before the recital by memory and yet it fell apart at the recital, the award could still be earned. Thoughts??

I have a bad habit of quickly getting attached to my students. One such young man, 8 years of age going on 15, joined my studio this year. He is very bright and asks intelligent questions. Recently, l learned he and his family will be moving this summer and so he will not be returning next fall. It has been obvious he is not pleased with the prospect and he came up to me at the reception and said: "I just wanted to thank you for being my piano teacher...without you, I would be in gymnastics right now"! I wanted to laugh, but he was so serious! I told him he was doing well and that I hoped he would continue his piano studies and let me know how he's doing. I'm going to miss him so much. I made him this card and included some music stickers for him.

These are most of my students from the studio this year. There were three that didn't feel prepared for their first recital experience and one who couldn't make it.

A dear friend of mine came to support me last night. I made a comment to her about how much I miss having my mother attend the recitals. She would love to attend just to support my efforts and because she was proud of me. She would also help set everything up with me and help with the clean up afterward. Anyway, my dear friend decided to come and she served punch at the reception so I could mingle with parents and students and then she stayed to wash dishes and pack everything up afterward. What a blessing that was!! I was out of there about an hour earlier than I normally am!

I made this treat out of Twix.

Today is my son's 28th birthday. I sent a check in a card, even though I hate doing that because it seems so impersonal, it is what he needs most right now. I miss the days of planning parties and making special cakes. I remember the year I attempted to decorate the cake like a hockey rink.

Hubby is spending today on the trails...it's National Trails Day. I'm behind on all my housework and so I hope I can muster some motivation to get caught up on some things around here.

I long to do something fun...something totally irresponsible...maybe even a little crazy. I just need something to perk me up.

Well, I'm off to chase dust bunnies...have a wonderful weekend all.