Why Perform

Recital time rolls around again and thus the dreaded question from your instructor, “Have you signed up for the recital yet?” So many students wonder why their instructor pushes performance at recitals. There are a few reasons for this.

Challenge yourself as a musician.You take lessons. You practice. You’re gaining musical skills. That’s good! As musicians, however, we may fall behind if we are not constantly seeking opportunities to put those skills to the test. You have taken that piece you’ve been working on for so long to the next level once you’ve performed it in a high-pressure situation such as a recital or other public performance.
Challenge yourself as a person. Maybe you love music lessons, but don’t want to be a musician for your career. Perhaps you want to be a doctor, lawyer, etc. That’s perfectly fine! But understand that no matter what career path you choose, you will face challenges. You will have goals that you must overcome. Why not practice the skill of setting and achieving small goals now? Maybe you are nervous to be on stage and that has kept you from signing up for a recital. I dare you to sign up anyway. See that obstacle as a chance to set a small goal that can be overcome. You will feel amazing once you conquer it! Life is full of these exact kinds of obstacles.
Finally, remember that once you’ve got one performance under your belt, it’s not as scary the next time you perform!

Randi Wooding, M.M.
Voice Instructor