As a music teacher and local entertainer, I find that it is extremely important for students to have many different kinds of performances! Why? There are so many reasons for all the different performance opportunities and why I find them to be valuable. But to start, performances create confidence in your student, create versatility and give students a moment to show off their skills! It also is valuable to have a goal as a student and musician, performing creates that goal! Here are a few ways I have students perform and grow!
Gigs/Live Music Shows
During the summertime, I invite students to perform at my own gigs! Those range from coffee shops, farmers’ markets, festivals and so forth! My show schedule is linked here to give you an idea of where my students could perform to show off what they have been working on. These opportunities cause students to truly perform in front of a crowd and interact with an audience. They also get to play somewhere they may have dreamed about! I think having a casual performance in the mix is valuable so students can have fun. They learn songs they love to sing and get to work on their craft. Also, they get to see their own teacher in action, which creates a great learning experience! Side note: sometimes students get to do this and collaborate with other students from other teachers to form bands. That is cool to see!
Recitals
In the fall and spring, I host a recital with other music teachers in the area! Unlike the gigs, this creates a formal environment. Students get a chance to perform in a different environment that creates a sense of maturity. Students tend to dress nicely, stand tall and have a moment to illustrate the value of what they learned to friends and family. In addition to that, they are seeing other students from my studio perform! Recitals create a sense of community and I find that to be so valuable as a teacher.
Competition
In the spring, it is competition season! Students middle school and older, work on preparing for the WSMA Solo and Ensemble competition. For this event, students learn a classical and/or musical theatre piece. They perform this piece for a judge and receive a rating and feedback on their performance. If the the piece is Class A and students receive at 1* they get to advance to State and sing the same songs for a new judge! It is great to have students gain feedback from someone other than their teacher! Also, I find this to be important because I am classically trained. I would not be the singer I am today without learning how to sing classical music. I appreciated my classical vocal lessons and how my voice teacher did a mix of singer/songwriter vibe and classical music to keep my interest. That is the kind of teacher I strive to be for my students.
School or Community Theatre Musicals
Finally, in my newsletter, I will share about upcoming auditions and events in the area that students can audition for to build their skills. When a student comes to lesson and lets me know they are going to audition for something, we spend time doing audition prep! I want my students to feel prepared to audition for a musical or theatre production. In lesson, we go through all the possible song options, acting techniques, and attitude for when the cast list goes up. It is vital to put yourself out there and try something new! Students who audition for shows at school or in the area will meet great friends, gain new experiences and find another way to work on their love of music. As a teacher, I love seeing student shows and am so proud of them!
National Anthem
I make a point to teach my musicians the National Anthem. There are so many opportunities to perform this piece whether it is at school or in the community! In addition to that, it is a very important song to know! I work on the National Anthem with students so they know what key to sing or play it in and be confident in the words. I have experience singing at many school events, baseball games and various events where I find this valuable to know!
As you can see, I offer a wide variety of performance opportunities! Why? I want my students to be versatile musicians. I want them to have an understanding of the different ways to sing or play guitar! It is important to have options as a musician and see what other musicians are doing as well! There is a value to building that music community. I found mine through performing!
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