Summary: <br> THIS is the reason you signed your child up for piano lessons! Now is their opportunity to share their gift of music with others to bring them joy. Here are a few ideas for how you can share music during the holidays.<br> 1. Play for a school event.<br> At different times, my students have been able to play for talent shows, choir concerts, and prelude music before awards programs.<br> 2. Play for a church event.<br> Prelude music before a worship service. Offertory or piano solo during the service. Postlude music as people are exiting the church. Play for youth Sunday School class or Bible study. Train them to become future musicians for worship service at church.<br> One student had the blessing of playing “Amazing Grace” at her grandfather’s funeral.<br> 3. Teacher Recital<br> Even though this is a busy time of year, teachers recognize the value of providing music through their students. It gives students valuable performance experience and it provides holiday cheer for anyone who hears them play.<br> Teachers try to be sensitive about cultural differences this time of year. Most are willing to have students play any music, not just holiday tunes.<br> My studio does Piano Caroling at our local retirement center. Some teachers host casual come-and-go parties in their home where students provide background music. This is a much more comfortable atmosphere for anxious performers.<br> Take advantage of this stepping stone performance opportunity.<br> 4. Host your own Retirement Center Concert<br> Maybe your teacher doesn’t arrange a recital at the local retirement center. That doesn’t mean you can’t. If you go visit family in the retirement home, bring your music and plan to play the piano while you’re there.<br> What a gift to share with our senior generation who doesn’t have the independence to drive to a concert like they once had. Bring the concert to them.<br> 5. Family Sing-a-Long<br> I think one of the reasons many parents sign their children up to piano lessons is to, one day, gather around the piano to sing holiday tunes together. That can start happening right now, no matter your piano kid’s skill level.<br> Let them use music that is very easy for them. Give them time to get comfortable playing on their own. Slowly add voices to sing along. Don’t rush your piano kid or call attention to mistakes. Be patient and encourage their effort and hard work. This will encourage them to do it again the next time.<br> 6. Stage your own private concert.<br> When my son, Justin, was about 10 he drew his own tickets, wore a nice jacket, set up chairs around the piano, and gave us our very own concert. Even though we heard him practice, this was different and special. Another mom in my studio shared that her sons and their cousins play a cousins concert at her mother’s home during the holidays. What a wonderful idea!<br> 7. Virtual Concert<br> What if there isn’t a piano in your host home?No problem – simply use your smartphone to record a video of your performance at home and show the video to Grandma and Grandpa when you get to their house. What if your family lives very far away and you aren’t getting to visit them this year?No problem – share that smartphone video directly to their email or upload it to YouTube.Even better, use Facetime or Skype to host a video call. This allows Grandma and Grandpa to applaud and react to your music right away!<br> 8. Make a Musical Gift<br> Take several videos or audio recordings and compile them into a CD or DVD as a gift for family members. Allow your piano kid to design the cover art and write some meaningful liner notes on the CD/DVD sleeve. Be sure to keep one for yourself. This will be a great mile marker for your piano kid to listen to in a few years. It will show how much they’ve progressed since the recording.<br> 9. Book a Gig<br>
