Students’ Post-Recital Reflections
Recently, my voice students participated in their first in-person recital since pre-Covid days. One student even drove all the way from Klamath Falls - 225 miles and over mountain passes (and yes, uphill both ways) to join us! Their previous experiences ranged from seasoned performers to first-timers, ages from youth to elders, and everything in-between. We heard classical, musical theatre, and contemporary music. It was wonderful for long-time students to be together again, and to see them reach out and welcome newer students into this incredibly supportive community.
During lessons the following week, I asked students to reflect on what went well, identify a new goal to work towards, and what if anything surprised them about their performance.
Why? First, we all have a tendency to focus on what didn’t go as planned; it’s important to acknowledge and celebrate our successes! Second, we reinforce a growth mindset, that learning is a step-by-step process which unfolds over time. The third question led to insightful “a-ha” moments. And interestingly, they circle back to my article “Preparing for Recitals - and Any Presentation” in the Summer 2023 newsletter. (You can access that article here.)
Below are just a few of the original techniques for preparation, and the post-recital insights from students.
“Preparation - we are more relaxed if we know our material….”
Several students originally planned to perform multiple songs. As the recital date came closer, we talked about their schedules, and whether they had time to adequately prepare them all. They each chose to focus on one song, and know it very well. Consequently, all students felt successful. Post-recital, some have chosen to work on the pieces set aside, while others have chosen new directions. There is always a choice to change one's goals.
“Remember it’s about the music (not about you).”
Focusing on the song’s story redirects our mind to our goals and the techniques that support them.
What kind of goals? They can be anything: Remembering to breathe. Showing distinct style changes or emotional expression between one song and the next. One student’s goal for a first recital was simply to get up in front of an audience, and get through the song! Officially, musical expression was secondary. However, he did sing a poignant song effectively, because he was focusing on the story he was telling rather than how he was feeling.
“Use affirmations.” Create positive self-talk.
Another student, with one recital under her belt, stumbled when she momentarily forgot her words. She pulled herself together, and as she continued, you could see and hear the confidence re-build in her body and voice. What a success! When I asked her what helped her in the moment, she said, “I told myself ‘I’ve done this before and I can do it again.’ ” Wohoo!
Reality Check: What’s the worst that can happen?
I ask this question of all my students who voice pre-recital trepidation. What is really the worst that could happen in front of a very understanding audience of equally nervous performers and lovely, supportive families? And they realize the answer is, maybe a little embarrassment, and nothing they can’t tolerate. Most students did make a mistake here or there. They survived. And the funny thing is — the audience was oblivious to virtually all of them.
Here’s one reality: Everyone makes mistakes. We usually don’t hear the errors of musical pros - they fix errors in the recording studio. A “live” concert is really a blend of multiple shows, edited to create the illusion of a “perfect” performance. And don’t we love watching bloopers, where we see our favorite actors making silly mistakes; we laugh with them, loving that they are human just like the rest of us! It’s wonderful when we can give ourselves the same grace, and laugh off our own foibles.
Here’s another reality: We get nervous or distracted when we are doing what we aren’t used to doing. Some students would be nervous singing in a large venue. For one of our seasoned performers, singing in large concert halls where the lights are in his eyes is easy; he was surprised to find that being in a more intimate setting “where I could see their faces” was more nerve-racking! (His audience couldn’t tell.)
I consider all of my students successful when they simply get up in front of an audience and sing! And, as our self-affirming singer proved, experience builds confidence.
Best of all, success is fun and invigorating. ALL the performers voiced pride in their accomplishments, and are willing to do it again. As one student commented, “I forgot how fun it was to perform. I’m going to learn more songs next time!
That’s success!
Do you have favorite strategies that work for you? I’d love to hear about them!