Today, I Confess: I Don't Always Get My Way.
(not that any of us do...)
โThis week's podcast episode featured 7 points of criteria I use when choosing repertoire for my recitals.
I've got a story about a time I *didn't* get my way in the recital selection process... but FIRST!
Meet the 2025 Recital Guide. ๐คฉ
Do you have pieces that seem to find their way to your recital programs over and over again?
I'm sharing 36 of mine in the 2025 Recital Guide.
Broken down by seven levels (Pre-Reading through Late-Intermediate), the Guide provides custom descriptions and links for tried-and-true recital rep that is fun to play AND fun to listen to.
...if you're on the lookout for pieces that sound bigger than they are, feature flashy elements and mature sounds, that are NOT found in traditional method series, the 2025 Recital Guide has your back.
I'm adding some additional resources to The Guide next week, at which time the price will increase. For now, you can get The Guide for just $12.
(yes, you'll still get access to the bonus material once it drops)
AND NOW: Back to My Confession....
As I said in Episode 209, my non-negotiable for recital selections is this: the student must WANT to play it.
Springtime brings with it a host of activities, and a recital is just too overwhelming if students are not genuinely excited about their repertoire.
...as I also said, I feel like I'm pretty great at steering students in the right direction. I spend a lot of time planning their repertoire, so their choices have already been run through the Christina Whitlock Filter anyway.
Well, except for once.
Years ago, for her first recital, my daughter declared with GREAT CERTAINTY that she was going to play the C 5-finger scale for the spring recital. ๐คฃ
Hands alone, then together.
I think it's because she's a Piano Teacher Kid and hearing my students play scales every day probably felt "official" to her. Who knows.
I tried EVERYTHING to convince her to play something more engaging, but, in the end, she made her recital debut with the C Major Pentascale.
Hands alone, then together.
And, as you can already guess, everyone loved it. She was proud, she felt supported, and she hasn't requested to play a scale in the recital since.๐
I say this today to remind you: We all have "ideal" visions for our studios, but at the end of the day, our students' experience is what matters. HOW THEY FEEL is what matters.
You can't go wrong with prioritizing that, friends.
๐ฅAs we head into recital season, may we all keep healthy perspectives on how we are perceived as teachers, and not fall into the trap of obsessing over the wrong things. ๐ฅ
โ
Now: It's YOUR turn! What's the most surprising recital selection you've seen? Hit REPLY and tell me about it.