Mastering Recital Etiquette: A Guide for Students and Parents

Recitals are more than just a concert of music, they are an amazing learning opportunity!

Students stand to learn the ins-and-outs on how to perform. But everyone, students and parents alike, will have a chance to learn the behaviour expected of an audience.

A collection of handwritten notes and printed documents spread on a wooden surface, including topics like 'Parent Education', 'Student Dress', and various lists and instructions. — Some of my study notes from ideas I’ve collected over the past several years in order to share them with you, my fellow teacher.

This blog post covers a real and easy actionable approach to teaching your audience what audience expectations are.

The best part about this approach is that your students, themselves will be the purveyors of the principles of good listener etiquette.

1. First teach recital etiquette to your students

A hand holding a card that explains 'Etiquette' related to audience behavior at piano recitals, with multiple other cards in the background containing similar messages.

One of the best outcomes of this approach is that your students, themselves, will learn and take with them knowledge of how to be a good audience.

It’s the hope of every piano teacher that our average students will keep playing through life. But realistically, some of them will eventually stop taking lessons and may stop playing the piano altogether.

But what we hope for every student is that they will gain an appreciation for music that will last a lifetime: that they will go to concerts! That’s where a knowledge of audience etiquette will be essential.

This recital initiative may be one of the most practical and valuable takeaways you give your students for their long-term enjoyment of music.

2. Then your students will teach recital etiquette to your audience

A collage of children participating in a presentation event, standing at a podium while reciting or presenting. Various children are dressed in casual and semi-formal attire, with a focus on their engagement in the activity.

Set your students up to be the ones teaching their own audience (their parents) how to be good listeners.

Rather than beginning your recital and hoping everyone will be respectful and will understand how to pay attention and listen to your performers, you’ll begin with the assumption that some of your audience members are new to “classical-styled” performances. Some may only have ever attended sports games where talking, noise and activity are the norm. Or, rock concerts where no one has ever tried to shush them.

Rather than noticing them scroll endlessly on their phones, hearing them have conversations during performances, see them walk in or out during someone’s Sonatina or cringe as they take flash photos of their own child’s version of Lightly Row, you’ll preempt all of that with a helpful presentation by your students on expectations.

Through this intro to your recital, you will help all of your piano families understand what it means to be a good audience member of your recital, any high school band concert, local symphony concerts, ballet performances, or even church. These audience skills are applicable in many settings, and you’ll be the one adding value to society by teaching good etiquette through your piano recitals.

In fact, this presentation could be your second step, as my companion blog post Piano Recital 101 — A crash course for your audience on expectations [Please share] is sharable to your studio parents before your recital and encourages them to share it further with other family members and friends who will also be in attendance.

3. How to set up this learning flow

A collection of illustrated cards displayed on a wooden surface, featuring various objects and animals, including a book, kittens, a fish, a telephone, a door, and rabbits, each on colorful backgrounds.

In the weeks leading up to your studio recital, print the double-sided cue cards that your students will use in the recital itself. These are available in my Printables section!

You’ll wait until the recital to give the cards to your students, but it helps to have them ready so students can see them ahead of time. Revealing the cards during lessons helps you create a professional touch to your initiative to teach recital etiquette.

Three pages of typed notes featuring guidelines and instructions related to a performance or audition process, including sections for participant names and various performance tips.

You’ll also want to print two text-only sheets.

You’ll cut your first printout into separate strips of paper. Students will have the chance to choose which one they’d like to read aloud in front of your audience. Some speaking parts are longer and others are shorter, perfect for younger and older students.

When a student has chosen their script, you’ll tape or staple it into their dictation book to allow them to practice it at home.

At your lessons leading up to the recital, you might want to hear them say their parts and help them with clear, slow, confident speaking. This is a valuable skill, too.

A close-up view of multiple sheets of paper with handwritten notes and guidelines for a performance recital, including reminders about audience behavior and recording instructions.

You’ll need the second text-only sheet for your own use in lessons and at the recital. Write your students’ names above the excerpts as they select them so you’ll know who is saying what.

In the recital, this sheet will help you know what order your students will stand in, and to whom to give the cue cards.

Before performances begin, cue your etiquette presentation!

A group of children standing in a line, some holding paper, in a classroom or event space near a podium with 'Doctor Piano' branding.

Etiquette is always taught…

Most of the time, good etiquette is taught by a patient person who takes the time to guide those around them, not through criticism or complaining, but by anticipating that some things need to be said (gently) about expectations.

And even with this presentation at my last recital, one parent still forgot to turn off their phone and it dinged in the middle of the recital. Everyone in the room patiently ignored the interruption because the person had learned English as their second language. It is possible they didn’t catch every word of our presentation. So, sometimes a little grace is in order, too. The number one most important rule of good etiquette is that you never point out someone else’s mistakes.

A young student playing piano during a recital, with a program sheet visible featuring the title 'Piano Recital 101 - for Audiences'.

Check out the companion blog post that helps teach parents about audience expectations before the recital day arrives. They’re invited to share with other family members and friends who will also be in attendance! Piano Recital 101 – A crash course for your audience on expectations

I hope you find these FREE printables useful!

The first FREE printable is a set of 12 two-sided colour cue cards. On the reader’s side is the text that may be read aloud to teach your audience good manners. On the audience-facing side are charming illustrations that relate to the topics.

The second FREE printable is a three-page document that will help you organize your students’ presentation.

Three sheets of paper featuring a recruitment form with sections for names and notes, including instructions for participants regarding efforts, feedback, and scheduling.

All the best with your recital!

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I appreciate shares, comments and likes. Happy teaching! <3

Rebekah Maxner, composer, blogger, piano teacher. Follow my blog for great tips!

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