Last week, you learned about the intermediate piece “Drastic Measures” and have blown me away with your excitement and purchases (thank you for those)! But this week, I’m excited to tell you that Willis Piano Music has published 2 new pieces of mine, at different levels than “Drastic Measures,” that will be perfect for your fall recitals! AND I’m going to be giving away 1 of the pieces to 2 teachers who comment on how they make their fall recitals interesting! I’m excited to hear your ideas!
Also…don’t forget the SALE today for $1 off the already super cheap snazzy BEATS that go with Rhythm Cup Explorations. It won’t last long!
The Rite of Fall – Mid-elementary Piano Piece
Yes, that’s a hat tip to Igor Stravinsky! I was always very fascinated with his rhythmic prowess. And you’ll know why when you hear or see just a bit of this mid-elementary piece. Nothing very difficult here, just some carefully placed accents and interesting harmonies to hint at Igor!
Here’s what Willis Piano Music says about the piece:
This rousing, ominous piece is a playful nod (and possibly a great introduction) to Stravinsky’s famous Rite of Spring. Although it may look a little difficult on paper because of the accidentals, students will soon figure out the clear rhythmic and harmonic patterns. It’s perfect for fall recitals, but also a great piece for any time of the year!
Regardless of whether your students get the connection, I’m pretty sure they’ll enjoy the creepy, ominous sound! It’s also a great way to introduce them to just a bit of Stravinsky!
Purchase Rite of Fall from:
Whirling Shadows
You might have some older early intermediate students that want something mysterious sounding but not kid like, so I wrote Whirling Shadows just for them. It’s actually suitable for any time of year, but especially for the fall. This piece is easy to play, but sophisticated with that little bit of Lydian spook:
Here’s what Willis Piano Music says about this piece:
A stirring melancholic piece perfect for moody days. Swirling patterns and syncopated rhythms add to the mysterious quality. Key: G Major.
Purchase Whirling Shadows from:
Enter the Giveaway!
Yes, I’m going to be giving out 1 copy of “Rite of Fall” and another of “Whirling Shadows!” Just enter a comment below and tell me what you do to make your fall or any recital interesting. I’ll be drawing the winner this weekend, so enter by Friday at midnight!
READ MORE:
- NEW TODAY! Snazzy Accompaniment BEATS for the Rhythm Cup Explorations are now available!
- Drastic Measures! This piece is “flying off the shelf” and you can get it right away! No shipping costs or waiting!
- Rhythm Cup Explorations News – Just about every teacher has RCE, so why not do more with what you already have. New ideas!
- Free Assignment sheet! Need an assignment sheet for your lessons? You and your students can print this one for free.
To make recitals interesting, lately I have let the students pick their song. It’s always exciting (and usually played better) when it’s something they WANT to do. I’ve done ensemble recitals (all trios and quartets) and I’ve done themed recitals (Patriotic night, Hollywood night, etc). Thanks, Wendy. Your stuff is great.
We normally do hot chocolate at the fall recital – which is definitely “interesting” when you consider that it’s hot chocolate for 150 people! Thank goodness I’ve got some very dedicated family members who make this possible 🙂
We have more than just piano solos or duets at our recitals. One year I had an adult student who played for services at her church. Since she had to accompany soloists, I had her bring a soprano to the recital and accompany her song. Last year my husband played a saxophone solo while I accompanied him on piano. When one of my children was learning French horn, she played a couple of beginner pieces on her horn at the recital. We’ve also brought the handbells we use at mini-recitals and demonstrated for parents. When Jeff played “The Star-Spangled Banner,” the audience stood up and sang. So you never know what you may hear at our spring recital!
This year my Fall Concert has been turned into a Humane Society Benefit Concert. All the students will play at least one song that has something to do with animals (Swan Lake, Bingo, Old MacDonald, etc.) and then a fall/Halloween piece of their choice. Admission to the Concert is a donation to our local Humane Society — either monetary or needed supplies. I’m lucky enough to teach at a Community Center and they are allowing the Humane Society to bring in adoptable dogs and cats for the Concert! I can’t wait to see how this turns out!!
I’ve held recent recitals at a local retirement community – we get a big crowd and it’s great for everyone!!!
I had a recital close to Halloween and allowed the students to dress up in costumes – some related to their pieces. I dressed as a “Staff” by putting 5 lines of electrical tape across my clothes. (forehead, shoulders, waist, knees and toes.
Heidi — Soooo cute! Thanks for a great idea. There will probably be a lot of piano teach “staves” this year!
I’ve done my fall recital the week of Halloween at an assisted living facility and had the students dress in costumes and play Halloween pieces! Fun for all! Especially the year one brought
His “blood dripping” sword!!!!
This will be my first year doing a fall recital. Have worried about the short time to prepare pieces but also know when there is a reason students seem to put in more effort. Appreciate all the ideas given above now to decide which to use. Thanks everyone for sharing.
I do different things every year, according to what we worked on during the summer. This year it will be duets and trios. Last year I did a popular music recital with no program. I gave the audience members a sheet of paper and they wrote down the titles of the songs. Whoever got the most correct won a giant candy bar for their student that they came to hear play!
This last Spring, my recital had a theme for the first time. It was Music Around the World. My students loved learning music from different countries. I made the program look like a passport, and I added a PowerPoint presentation as well. This year I am planning on a theme of Music at the Movies.
This will be the first time I have held a fall recital. Appreciate all the great ideas, now to decide which to use first.
last year was my 10th anniversary of teaching in this community so we held a special recital where we decorated with framed pictures from all those years plus put out all the studio scrapbooks and recital programs from previous events. it was a fun reminder of all the students that had previously graduated from the studio.
In the fall, my studio participates in our Desert Valley Music Teachers Association’s Music Marathon each October. I have the students dress up in Halloween costumes and play spooky sounding songs. These new ones sound like they’d be perfect for the occasion!
I have a Halloween recital every fall and the kids get to wear their costumes. They love it!
I bring in family members for ensembles, like violin + piano duet, or mom singing with her son, etc…sometimes I’ll even have a student play their other instrument with another piano student of mine to get the experience of playing with a pianist. It’s been fun so far, and the variety keeps the students interested.
Thanks for your inspiring newsletter. You always come up with such good ideas!!!
I have my recitals at a Retirement Home and the residents are welcome to come and listen to the students. My Mother lives in this retirement home so she usually plays several old time pieces for the residents and we all sing along. The parents bring snacks and it’s a lot of fun.
We did a 100-Day Practice Challenge last year, and students who completed 100 consecutive days received a trophy (which was most students). Those who completed 50 days received a medal. Students who participated at all received a ribbon. It was very popular and a big success!
I’ve never done a fall recital. But as I think about it, if I did, I would love decorating it with all fall type things. Fall is my favorite time of the year.
I like to make up “Compliment Sheets”, give one to each family at the door with the names of each student in the order that they play, then have each family come up with at least one thing to commend the performer on, including their own child. I “coach” the families at the opening to look for tone, posture, beautiful endings, etc. They then pass them in to me at the end of the recital, and I type up the compliments for each child and highlight the compliment from their mom or dad and give it to them at the next lesson. There is nothing as fun as seeing their faces as they read their compliments!
My fall recital is themed. One year we did pirate tunes. Last year we did the music of the Beatles. This year we’re doing Robert Vandall’s music. Each of the students plays at least one piece on theme, and then if they want to, they can do another that’s off theme. I give them their themed music over the summer so they can start learning and get excited for fall, and so it’s not so hectic right as school starts up getting them going on something — even if they don’t practice much over the summer because of travels or camps or whatever, they’ve at least SEEN their pieces!
I also try and make the fall recital fairly informal. We don’t have a printed program usually. The kids can dress casually if they’d like. I talk a lot between performers. For some of the performers, this might be their first ever recital, and so I want to make it as comfortable as possible. Our spring recital is your typical formal recital in a recital hall… programs… fancy clothes… our best attempt at formal recital etiquette. But fall, we use a smaller, less intimidating space (this year the chapel at my church) and are pretty loosey-goosey about things.
I like to play a game or 2. I use one of my teaching games, like a bingo game or a body percussion piece with the room divided into parts. I get a couple of students to run the thing and it is all very fun.
Our annual fall recital includes a theme while students prepare their piece during summer lessons. We include an art exhibit as well as a large reception. The Freedom recital included recognizing a dozen veterans who were in attendance. Last year the Classic Cartoons recital educated students and their families on the important role of music in animation. This year we will Travel Around the World. Students and families will wear traditional clothing from their countries and the reception will include foods from many lands.
I place a “fun” audience participation song partway through the recital for some extra fun.
Since music has so many overlapping qualities, I invite the kids to play other instruments they play as well. I have done clarinet ensembles to jazz pieces and string duets too. I will often have another student accompany on piano. It teaches another facet of piano playing.
I usually have fall group lessons at my home where new students can get to know the other students. We usually perform for each other, play musical games, and of course have refreshments!
For my recitals I always include piano duets, trios, two pianos/eight hands. I have also included violin, flute, guitar, vocal, and a dancer. Depending on the talents of my current students will decide on what I include.
Our local chapter of the Music Teachers Assn. puts on a Halloween recital every October at a nearby church. The students perform Halloween music and dress in costume. Even a couple of the teachers have been known to show up in costume!
One fun thing that I have done for recitals is to have a parent either accompany their child (in one case the father played guitar chords), or a parent play a duet with their child. It’s always fun for adults and kids alike!
I like to introduce each performer with a short bio, including the answer to one kind of silly question that everyone answers ahead of time.
I have a small studio (about 12 students), so I am going to partner with another teacher friend of mine to have larger recitals. The best part is, this means we will have bassoon and clarinet in addition to piano, so my piano students are going to love the variety and intro to new instruments!
My students posted their ideas for a theme on the studio bulletin board throughout June and July. The winning vote getter was “Folk Music and Legends”.
This year we have a Super Heroes theme! The students will be creating their own Super Hero character, & they will be looking all year for the villain who stole the music. As they do this, they are learning about 20th century music & composers, as well as how to create their own music (using the awesome new book you recommended which the UPS guy JUST delivered! 🙂 Anyway, in place of Halloween, each student will be learning a piece that sounds scary/mysterious/etc. etc. such as your ‘Drastic Measures’ & ‘You Don’t Scare Me’, as well as scary pieces my former students have composed. It’ll all come together around Halloween when the ‘Super Heroes’, dressed in a costume of their making, get together for a fun evening & play their pieces for one another! As one of my teen boys said when he heard about it, “SWEET!!”
I have the fall recital at the local library and the kids dress up in Halloween costumes. This recital is open to public and it’s great for the community to enjoy all the talent.
I have a Winter Open House (not at my house) where students can come and go during a set time. This allows the atmosphere to be a little more relaxed and they don’t have to stay to listen to everyone if they don’t want to.
Great ideas, everybody!! I haven’t had a fall performance in several years, but this year to celebrate our new monthly group classes we will wear costumes or Fall clothing to our October groups and maybe even try a community performance at a retirement home. In the past, I have encouraged students to create a mini-poster with their title and artwork depicting the mood or theme of their piece. I can’t wait to hear your new Fall pieces, Wendy!!
For my first fall recital, called My Buddy and Me Share, all the students are playing duets that they have been working on through the summer. Some are piano duets, vocalists with a student piano accompanist, and even a vocal duet! One duet has a percussion part performed by striking the piano under the keyboard! Interesting. At Christmas time we have Christmas Share where all the students play or sing Christmas Songs and Carols. Both events are at my home. The parents bring food to share on the buffet table and I provide the drinks. It’s a celebration of the students’ progress and a delight in their performing. They look forward to these extra relaxed opportunities to perform for each other and a larger audience.
This is my first year to plan a fall recital (usually do a Christmas recital and also one in the summer). But this year I wanted to do a fall one and have been looking for pieces that would work to carry out the theme. These pieces look wonderful. I have just gotten acquainted with your publications this year – haven’t used any of your songs yet but my students and I love rhythm cups. Thanks for sharing these new pieces for us to be aware of.
I sometimes do trivia contests at my recitals. The students don’t get to participate: it’s for their guests. I also have the guests guess how many M&Ms are in a glass jar. The winner gets the jar of candy. Sometimes we do a singalong of The Twelve Days of Christmas. I enjoy doing things that get the audience engaged and interested. After all, some of my students’ parents have attended ten or more recitals and that can get tiresome.
I love these new pieces. They are perfect for studying in the fall. Our local music store has a Halloween Recital in October and the students just love working on expressive pieces to play and perform for it. I will add these to my list!
I usually do a fall festival in the Fellowship Hall of a downtown church — Bach to Rock. We play games and have prizes and the parents do the recital. If the parent plays, the kid has to play. Some parents only play Mary had A Little Lamb — but kids love it that mom or dad has to get up there. It’s very loose and fun!
Halloween Recitals are fun. We play at a local assisted living home and kids can come in costume. The audience is welcoming and the costumes help give the students come confidence as they play incognito. Afterward we hold a trunk or treat in the parking lot: parents provide candy and a decorated trunk, students have fun trick or treating at every trunk!
The week after Halloween I have a performance class/casual recital that we call “Play for a Treat”. It includes our fall and Halloween pieces, but also is close enough to Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving to give students a chance to play patriotic and “Americana” selections. We have some kind of theory game and lots of snacks, I also love to include ensembles in this event. Students who don’t have a lot of opportunities to practice together can try out their duets in a very low-key atmosphere.
I have never had a fall recital, but I am getting inspired, reading all these great ideas. Our local MTA has a Fall Festival, though, which my students love to participate in. Our winter festival is a rotating ‘period’ (Baroque,Classical, etc) theme, and our spring festival is ensemble. We also have spring and fall syllabus evaluations. So our fall festival is ‘Students’ Choice’ and we get everything: solos, duets, chamber ensembles, family groups, student compositions, classical, rock, you name it. A big favorite for everyone.
I can think of just the students who will enjoy these! I hope I’m the lucky one! 🙂
I have never done a Fall recital but I am thinking of doing something with Rhythm Cups at a recital later this year. Hopefully an ensemble with a pop song or something else fun playing in the background. This Fall music looks great for a student motivator as we start the new school year!
Your website and information is an incredible resource, thank you for your time and commitment to the field of music education Wendy! I hope to meet you in person someday. For our recitals, we keep things very low key and rarely with a theme as I am mixing both percussion and piano students. The parents and students enjoy the student written program notes. I ask the students to write a few sentences about their composer, why they like the piece/what they’ve learned, and then their favorite part of lessons.
Thanks for the opportunity, I love all of your stuff! I am probably skipping a recital this year and take a break. With 53 in a recital it is always a major part of the holidays at Christmastime. Between that and having my students on a float in the parade singing, one student playing a keyboard, blasting as we go by….its busy busy!
I love everything about fall, the air, the cool, the fire pits, just in a happy happy mood all the time!!
My fall recital is called a Monster Recital because we play duets, trios etc. up to 10 hand numbers using 2 pianos plus a keyboard. The grand finale has parents playing instruments (even rhythm blocks) along with the students. That piece has to be pretty basic like “When the Saints Go Marching In.” Most families only contribute one adult so that we still have an audience!!
Love your pieces about fall and Halloween.
Last fall my students played in an event called Monster Mash sponsored by our local division of MTNA.
It was outside with a keyboard at a fall festival event. The kids dressed up in their Halloween costumes and played Halloween songs and their other favorites. They had lots of fun dressing up and also playing outside!
I don’t do a Christmas recital because as a musician I am slammed in December but in November we do an informal recital at a local retirement home. Last time we went I asked some of the residents what songs they would like to hear and I am getting the music together to have students learn some of these classic, beautiful pieces. Thanks for this topic and all the great recital ideas. I still have to plan my spring recital…
Very great idea for give away. I hope to win.
Thank you! 🙂
Sorry – I posted before recital comment. – I taught most students various parts to the same song and had them all perform their part together. A great ensemble!
Last year I had different students play movements from John Thompsons Thanksgiving Suite and I had a narrator do the readings that go along with it. It was a nice change from Christmas music. The recital was the Sunday before Thanksgiving.
My students participate in “spooky recitals” each October. I make them small and hold them at my studio and a student’s home. The kids can dress up in their costumes, and play spooky music in the dark! We turn off the lights except for the piano lamp and everyone’s favorite thing- glow sticks!!! Lots and lots of glow sticks, glow bracelets, glasses, wands, etc. They love it!
I have had halloween recital theme, where students played different types of music from classical to pop. The only stipulation is that the music had to have some feeling of mystery, scariness to it, haunted sounds, etc…
Some also dressed to fit their musical piece. Lots of fun!
I usually try to pick a theme. Last year we did Jazz pieces we had studied by composer. Three years ago we did Movie themes. I had a oung man who could light up the room with his rendition of “Pirates Of The Caribean Theme”! This year will be a little different as I have many beginning students.
When organizing a recital I try to vary the order, so it is not always the same students playing first or last!
I’ve had them – follow me through my week – all Monday students, all tuesday…
-according to the season of their birthday – spring, summer, …
-choose a coloured square when they arrived – all the blues, reds
When I call up their group, (saves time) it helps to develop a sense of comraderie among the students, as they begin to recognize familiar faces.
Thanks for the interesting posts!