Summary: <br> Attending a live, stage performance is different from going to a movie or sporting event. One is casual with a come and go atmosphere, the other is more formal with certain rules you need to know and follow if you don’t want to embarrass your piano kid or yourself.<br> Before the Concert<br> Performance Preparation – make sure you are ready to present a nice gift to the audience. I tell my students the performance is not for them, it is a gift for the listeners. Sometimes this helps relieve some of their performance anxiety. If you are prepared and know your piece inside and out, you will feel more confident to give your audience a beautiful performance. Does your teacher require your recital piece to be memorized? Work diligently to meet their expectations. Make sure you know your piece accurately and have memorized it fully so you can perform it confidently at the recital.<br> <a href="http://www.pianoparentpodcast.com/076-2/">For more details about dealing with performance anxiety, listen to PPP076</a>.<br> Dress for Success – make sure you practice performing your piece while wearing the clothes you will wear at the recital. You want to look nice, yes, but you also need to feel comfortable in your clothes. You don’t want your mind distracted from thinking about your piece because your headband is giving you a headache or your tie is so tight you can’t breathe. Guys, check your jacket to make sure you still have full movement of your arms when you play the piano. Girls, can you use the pedals well with those shoes? If not, find something that will work for you, not against you.<br> <a style="background-color: #ffffff;" href="http://www.pianoparentpodcast.com/028-2/">For more details about concert attire, listen to PPP028.</a><br> Arrive Early – Piano Parents, unless your piano kid is driving themselves to the recital, you have total control and responsibility for helping your child arrive early so they (and you) are not stressed out before you ever get to the venue. Your child has enough to be nervous about without hearing you bark at slow cars on the road.<br> Give your piano kid a peaceful drive. Give them time to get a drink of water and visit the restroom before they have to find their seat.<br> During the Concert<br> No distractions – no talking or fidgeting. You don’t want to distract the performer or those who came specifically to hear them play. If you are holding a program or your music, keep it still and quiet.<br> At the beginning of my spring recital, I tell my families to silence any cell phones, electronic devices, and small children. It’s a corny joke but it’s still a good reminder. Put your phone on silent, and be considerate of those around you if you have small children. Sit toward the back of the room, close to the aisle. Be prepared to make a quick and quiet exit if your child starts to cause a distraction.<br> Normally, during formal concerts, the performers should not leave at all and audience members should only exit or enter between performances while the audience is applauding. In the case of an unhappy child, however, get out quickly with as little distraction as possible.<br> Give the performer your attention – this is closely related to the no distractions rule but slightly different. Not talking and paying attention are not exactly the same thing. Listen with your eyes. Look at the performer. Pay attention to the music they are making. Make mental notes of compliments you can give them after the recital.<br> Applaud politely when their piece is finished – this has two aims:<br> 1. Even if the performer completely bombed their song, you still give them applause for the courage they exhibited just walking to the piano.<br> 2. Applauding politely means that you simply clap your hands. Piano Parents, when your son or daughter scores points in the big game, you are welcome to hoot and holler, maybe even whistle.
