Coming up with recital ideas during a pandemic has been an interesting challenge. Teachers are tired of the pressure to create solutions, kids are missing on the energy and experience that comes from performing live, and everyone is tired of Zoom. This is where the Driveway Drive-by Recital from Tammy Prenot comes in! These recitals are gorgeous, in person (while still being safe), and fun for students and parents. The part I’m most excited about is that Tammy says they take even less effort than pre-pandemic recitals did!
A Driveway Drive-by Recital is a series of mini recitals (less than 20 minutes each), spaced 30 minutes apart, with four students at a time performing in the garage or driveway. This allows families and neighbors to drive up or sit outside and practice safe social distancing while watching students perform their pieces. Read below to see how it works, the prep that goes into it, as well as variations and Tammy’s own tips.
How Does A Driveway Drive-By Recital Work?
Tammy has her garage and driveway decorated beautifully (more on that below), with her digital piano set up in the garage and a whiteboard with performer’s names on the lawn. She invites neighbors and piano families to “drive by” or to bring lawn chairs and blankets to sit in her front yard while they watch.
Each recital Driveway Drive-by rotation has four piano students featured. Students perform only one piece, and each group of four starts on the half hour. Since each child plays only one piece, this first rotation is done in 15 or 20 minutes, which is plenty of time for cars to clear out and the new line of cars to come in and watch the next group of four.
Here’s how the driveway drive-by schedule looks:
Group A starts at 3:00pm, and students 1-4 play their pieces. Those students finish around 3:15, and those cars clear out. Group B starts at 3:30pm, and students 5-8 play their pieces. They finish around 3:45, and the cars clear out for Group C, etc.
How Do You Prepare for a Driveway Drive-By Recital?
Tammy’s secret weapon is her neighbors. Several of them come help decorate and turn her lawn and garage into something absolutely beautiful! She hosts a planning meeting three weeks before the recital, and they discuss the theme, decorations, and setup.
She also passes out goodie bags to neighbors announcing the event. Not only does this prepare them for the noise, it invites them to be a part. The goodie bags have a small printout on them that give safety protocols she’s requiring of her piano families, and some candy. The turnout for these recitals from neighbors alone has been amazing, and students love getting to perform for a live audience!
Tammy’s invitation for her Christmas Driveway Drive-by Recital (attached to her goodie bags) is below, and she’s happy for anyone to use the wording as their template as well!
December Driveway Drive-Up!
Who: Pianists in groups of 4
What: Mini piano recitals
When: Saturday, December 5th
Times: 3pm, 3:30pm, 4pm, 4:30pm, 5pm, 5:30pm
Where: ________ Court lawn
Dear neighbors
We will host an afternoon of outdoor piano recitals on our front lawn on December 5th. There will be 6 sessions of 4 students, each lasting less than 30 minutes. Student families will be parking on the street and bringing their own lawn chairs. Everyone will be masked and socially distanced. We invite you to join us for this fun afternoon of Christmas music and we ask that if you join us, you follow the same safety protocols. Everything should be wrapped up by 6:00pm.
Thank you and Merry Christmas!
~ Tammy
How Do I Set Up A Driveway Drive-By Recital?
Tammy’s full checklist is included below, but here are the big items:
- The most important thing is a digital piano – Tammy’s suggestion for a light to use for each recital is here*. She says it has worked like a champ!
- Outdoor string lights create a lovely glow, and provide some extra lighting for both the audience and performer. (Here are the same ones you see in Tammy’s photos!)
- A whiteboard or white poster board so students’ names and pieces can be on display. In her experience, poster boards (that she had prepared before the day of the event) worked better as all she needed to do was take one down after every recital instead of running to write everyone’s names down.
- A sanitization station is a great way to keep everyone safe. It’s easy to set up – just a card table and hand sanitizer!
- Decorations aren’t necessary, but can make students feel as if they’re performing at a real venue. Keep in mind that Tammy had a whole team of neighbors helping her. If the decorations are keeping you from trying a driveway drive-by recital, keep it simple! The dark blue backdrop you see in her photos are flat sheets hung with binder clips and black duct tape. A simple recital is better than no recital at all!
How Is a Driveway Drive-by Recital Less Stressful Than A Normal Recital?
If, like me, you are reading this and thinking “Holy cow, we’ve found Wonder Woman”, keep reading! I know this sounds like it would be far MORE work – especially if your neighbors aren’t as helpful as hers! But here’s what makes it easier:
- These recitals are short and sweet – which both students and parents love! If parents know the recital is going to take 15-20 minutes, they don’t have to leave their car, and they can still have their child perform, it’s a win-win-win!
- Each pianist has only one piece. As Tammy said, “Simpler is better…I make a chart of each pianist’s piece and keep it taped to my desktop computer, so I know exactly who is playing in which “recital”, and that is simpler than a pianist performing in multiple sections of a recital.”
- There’s no driving to a venue, and setting up a digital keyboard is fairly easy (because the decorating is done by other people, this actually makes things very simple for Tammy the day of!).
- A checklist to reference the day of – Tammy has let us borrow hers, and you can see it in the photo below.
- Finally, she lets other people help. This is the biggest reason these recitals are easy for Tammy…so easy, she’s doing two of them this Spring. I am preaching to the choir in saying this, but remember that your job is to make sure your students are prepared to perform – it is OK to let someone else take the job of decorations or set up! If you know you have a neighbor or friend who is gifted at decor or party planning, I’m sure they’d love getting to do so in a season where parties aren’t happening.
Challenges and Variations
- What if I live somewhere that’s cold? This was the first thing that came to my mind reading about these recitals. Yet here in Idaho, we have light shows every year, and people will brave 20 degree weather and snow in their cars to see them! A 15 minute window of time in a heated car isn’t a problem for most people. If you’re worried about students hands getting stiff, consider using a space heater in the garage or giving them hand warmers they can use up until its their time to perform.
- What if I live in an apartment or on a busy street? First, consider hosting at a friend, family member, or piano family’s home. If that isn’t an option, call your local Parks and Rec department and see if they have any outdoor venue spaces.
- I don’t know my neighbors, I can’t ask them for help! If you don’t know your neighbors, this is a great time to meet them! And in the absence of friendly neighbors, ask piano parents or friends to help out instead. You can also opt for simple decor if you don’t have a team of people – as Tammy said, it’s amazing what a sheet can do!
- I only own a piano, not a digital keyboard. Again, ask a friend or piano family if they have one you could use. If not, many local music shops have rental programs. If they know they’re loaning an instrument to a teacher, they’re fairly likely to help out. Better yet, offer to have their company’s information listed on your whiteboard during the performance. Local music stores are in need of business right now, and a Driveway Drive-by Recital may be the perfect advertisement for them.
- What about outdoor distractions? This is something else Tammy addresses: three weeks prior, she and her team think of every potential outdoor sound, and try minimize those when possible. She goes outside a week before and sits where the pianists will be to check on the position of the sun. For recitals where the sun will be in their eyes, she lets them know and offers sunglasses. When it comes to other noises, some things just can’t be avoided – the same way a baby may start screaming in a venue, a UPS truck may drive by right in the middle of a Sonatina! It’s a great way to teach students that the show must go on, and no one is expecting perfection in a time when creativity and new ideas are necessary.
Remember, the first time doing anything – from your first lesson to first recital – seems overwhelming and daunting. But once you’ve done it once, these recitals should get easier and easier to plan. What do you think of Driveway Drive-Up Recitals? Are there other challenges or variations you can think of, or answers to the questions we posed above?
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I love this idea. What if you have a bad weather day? Do you reschedule?
I live in NE Ohio and we get wind, rain, ice, etc.
Thank you.
How about the sound quality? No mention of micing or speakers. I’m concerned that the sound wouldn’t carry any distance especially with outside noise. Don’t mean to complicate this awesome idea, just wondering.
What if parents keep hanging around after their child performs? I have friendly, chatty parents😃
Awesome idea! Although, in Northern WI, this could only work 4 months out of the year. lol
Excellent idea!! Zoom recitals – the thought stresses me out, even though there are many posts about how well it works! A drive-by recital excites me!! Thank you!
This is such a great idea and I may need to do it for June.
But right night, it’s -27, and that’s the HIGH for today in Calgary!
I love this idea!! This is most likely what I’ll be doing for a spring recital since it’s unlikely that any church or indoor location will be renting space. Thanks so much for the inspiration!
Practical concern… 🤪 Restroom? How do you deal with this need?
Your idea is wonderful (and thank you for the “details). I know some of the teachers here in Billings, MT have been doing similar recitals – on their decks, front lawns…..and I myself hosted last spring’s “First Annual Gazebo Recital”, with parents bringing lawn chairs. It was a definite success and parents/students alike requested that it happen again this spring!
Thank You for Sharing!
I ADORE this idea! I plan to do this for my spring recital!
This is awesome! Thank you for sharing!
Hi Bonnie, Each recital is only about 20 minutes, so I don’t think you have to think too much about this. Good question though!
Indeed! Now is not the time for this, but we hope it gives you plenty of time to plan it for when it is warmer. So glad you like the idea!
Lol. True! But hopefully this gives you plenty of time to plan for one that works!
I Loved this idea! Thanks for sharing.
this is kind of inspiring! My driveway slopes way down, so I’m thinking I could ask to ‘borrow’ my next door neighbor’s garage for this. they would be excited. My question has also been asked, and that is, what to do about amplification of a digital keyboard. Mine is not fancy, but the sound volume is very puny. Is it possible to rent amps? Or maybe buy a small one, but I don’t know what kind or what the cost might be. Does anyone know? I’ve toyed with the idea for years but never really pursued it because I rarely use my digital keyboard. thanks so much for sharing, and I might give it a go, with provision for our unpredictable spring weather (through June!)
This is brilliant and will be the framework for our Spring Performance! Even if we are out of ‘lockdown’ at that point, we will probably still be using some precautions at that time. Well done!
A bad weather day is rare where I live and makes this possible year-round. I have backup dates every time just in case of rain. I’m from WI, though, so I understand!
I use a PowerWerks amp (a personal PA system) and it’s plenty loud. See my day-of checklist.
I plug the idea over and over to parents and pianists about how important it is to arrive no more than 5 minutes before their performance time and to leave right after their group is done.
I hope that answers a few questions. Thanks so much!
This is a great idea – fleshes out some of my ideas I was working on through the Fall, getting ready for Holiday recital. I love the added decorations too! I only used a large poinsettia! LOL! In December, I really wanted all the students to see and perform for each other, and they were indicating they did not want to do anything online, but that gets a large group of audience members, and I felt my front yard/street was not large enough. The drive by – and smaller groups of performers would work well. However, The weather was cooperative here in Phoenix, early in December — and we were able to hold our recital outdoors, in my church amphitheater – sanitation and distance – but everyone came and played as usual. Audience brought folding chairs. I used my new (due to covid-19) digital piano and amp. We had plenty of sound. I kept it shorter than usual – only 1 piece per student. Usually at recitals students play 2 pieces. I also provided the program as a downloadable item, rather than printing them. I did print certificates and give the usual goodie bags – but they were “grab and go”! We did not have a reception. Regarding bathrooms – I just noted everyone was going to have to go before they came, and hopefully be good for the less than 45 minutes! We chose a place where the sun was not shining on the music and had clips ready if windy – if student did not have music memorized. It was short and sweet – but everyone seemed happy I had made the effort. Inclement weather – I would have tried another date. This article got me thinking, that I may move our June recital earlier so we can still be outdoors. June in Phoenix can be brutal! But again, audience can be in air conditioned car, and students would only be outside for a short time! So creative! Thank you!
Love your idea, Tammy! Brilliant and ambitious! I’m sorry to say I just let my December recital go since I just did not want to go through doing a poorly attended Zoom recital ( like this past spring). I live in a mountain area where it’s very cold, snowy and icy, so even a driveway recital probably would be very difficult…I have a sloping driveway apron that is icy most of the winter and a long, unpaved driveway that is the same. Once mud season passes and if we still can’t meet indoors, I’m thinking of trying this in late spring. One thing I was unclear about, did you have your parents and siblings stay in the car or did they just exit their cars for their individual student and sit in lawn chairs or..??
I did something similar to this right before Christmas. We passed out little cards to the neighbors on our street and my two girls and the two neighbor girls all performed Christmas music. I took my small keyboard on the porch (elevated a bit) and bought one cable that connected my keyboard to my speaker. The girls and I performed for about 45 minutes and it was chilly, but EVERYONE loved it! It felt wonderful to perform for real people and they loved to hear the LIVE music! Everyone brought a chair and we had a grand time!
Hi Kathleen! I invited families to listen from their cars or bring lawn chairs. I’d say it was 20% listening from their cars with the windows down and 80% either standing or in their own lawn chairs. The families who stood or sat in chairs remained there for the other three pianists to play. Pianists play in groups of four and, with only one piece to perform, it really doesn’t take long. My first group takes 8 minutes! The last group takes 20 minutes. With no announcing from pianists and my (very!) brief comments, these are seriously short recitals every 30 minutes in groups of four.
Hi Kathleen! Good question. I invited families to listen from their cars or bring lawn chairs. I’d say about 20% listened from their cars with the windows down and 80% stood or sat in their own lawn chairs. The families who stood or sat in chairs remained there for the other three pianists to play. Pianists play in groups of four and, with only one piece to perform, it doesn’t take too long. My first group takes only 8 minutes! The last group takes 20 minutes. With no announcing from pianists and my brief comments, these have been seriously short recitals.
I held an outdoor recital here in Scotland in December! I bought a gazebo, put it up in the back garden, decorated with Christmas lights, and just had one family at a time, as that was within the current guidelines at the time. It was lovely to see everyone in person. I borrowed the digital piano from my church. Some of the children played Diane Hidy’s All Cooped Up Jingle Bells 😊. For scheduling purposes I used the students lesson time that week for their recitals. Goody bags were given out and warm fuzzy feelings all round. And the weather stayed fine 🙏.
Had a most successful driveway recital last fall. I was gobsmacked. The whole neighborhood turned out and then some. People were so hungry for music and entertainent. Gonna do it again when our temperature gets a little higher than 3 degrees F.
I have a four wide drive and nice sized lawn. I have a digital keyboard and amplifier which I took out to the drive. I put plastic chairs out for my students. Everyone else brought their own. All participants and guests wore masks and socially distanced. I had chilled bottled water and packaged snacks set out along the drive. A microphone to introduce students and fill in the audience on what the students would be playing proved to be handy.
More people attended this recital than regular ones. We are going to do it again. I had very positive feedback from neighbors and guests.
Wonderful idea! Thank you for laying it out in detail. I am planning on doing an outside recital this Spring.
I love this! There is just something to be said about playing our instruments outside.
I forgo the traditional recital two years ago, after getting a great idea while traveling around the USA for 2 months. When I got back from our trip, I asked a local coffee/deli/pastry shop if my students could come and play out in front of their place. I scheduled 3 different afternoons, two weeks in a row, and let student/parents decide which 10 minute session they wanted. Each student picked an age/level appropriate piece by Bach and two of their favorite pieces they had worked on that year. Of course the student didnt end up playing for a full 10 min but it gave plenty of time to get set up, etc.
My whole goal in this was for students to get out of a building and to give back to their community through music. In fact the theme was: Giving “Bach” to the Community.
I also highly enouraged parents to not just show up and then leave, but to buy something from the restaurant. I found that a lot of the families did just that, especially after their child played. So they were not only supporting the other students playing by staying and listening, they were also supporting a local business.
Yes, I had to set everything up, but let me tell you….overall it was much less stress on me.
For those worried about digital pianos, mics, etc. I was able to borrow from our local church. I had two amps. One outside where the student was performing and one inside, so those patrons could hear as well.
I plan to do this again…….once our state/county allows for us to do so again.
Last spring I had a “Drive-In Movie Theater” type recital in a church parking lot. I set up a canopy and had the portable keyboard plugged into the church’s sound system since they were doing worship services that way,. I found a backdrop that matched our theme of “Animals from A to Z”, gave out animal print fans (it was HOT) and handed the students their packages of awards after performing. I did have to do two groups for the recital. I think that parents enjoyed having their students play for an audience, even if it was HOT.
I also do a Summer Lawn Pops concert on my front lawn at the end of August. Parents and sometimes neighbors park chairs or blankets on my front lawn to hear students play their “popular” pieces form TV, Movies and Broadway. And I hand out supplies for the year like pencils and highlighters, and practice charts to help them start the habit of practicing daily. LOL