’Tis the season for performing! Whether it’s your child’s first recital or you’re a seasoned pro, the journey to the stage can be both thrilling and nerve-wracking.
Go into concert season feeling like a rockstar with our helpful tips to reduce anxiety, build confidence, and hit all the high notes.
The Importance of Concerts and Recitals
Performing in front of a live audience is about more than just showcasing what you’ve learned in music classes and lessons; it offers valuable educational and developmental benefits.
From a music education perspective, concerts and recitals help students apply what they’ve learned, set and achieve musical goals, overcome stage fright, and gain valuable performance experience—a crucial skill for musicians that requires practice and repeated exposure to perfect.
The process of preparing for the performance teaches students focus, discipline, perseverance, and confidence. Plus, seeing your family and friends cheering you on in the audience creates a sense of achievement, pride, and community that simply can’t be beat.
1. Practice Early & Often
Practice, practice, practice! Maintaining a regular practice schedule is always important, even more so when leading up to a concert or recital.
Start practicing your piece(s) early and often. You can break down a piece into sections and focus on mastering one part at a time. And remember: Your music teacher is here to help you! Work with them to address tricky passages or areas for improvement.
As the concert approaches, practice performing the entire piece(s) from start to finish. You can even simulate performance conditions by doing a dry run in front of family or friends. Babies crying, people coughing—live performances are rife with distractions, so bonus points if your dry run audience throws some practice distractions your way.
2. Manage Pre-Concert Jitters
Feeling nervous about your performance is completely normal—and can even be a good thing! The key is turning those nerves and anxiety into energy and excitement.
- Step 1: Visualize yourself performing flawlessly and confidently. It might feel silly, but it works. On the days or weeks leading up to the big day, picture yourself walking on stage, playing the piece perfectly, taking a bow, and feeling proud.
- Step 2: Take a deep breath. Deep breathing exercises, like these ones for kids and teens, help to regulate the nervous system and bring you back to the present moment. Practice breathing techniques in advance so you can easily reference them when you need to calm down in the moment.
- Step 3: Expect imperfection. No performance is flawless. If something goes wrong, don’t panic—just keep going! The audience is there to enjoy the music, not to judge you on every note.
3. Prepare Logistically
Hours of practice? Check. Nerves? Under control. Now, it’s time to focus on logistics. Having an idea of what the performance day will look like can help it feel less scary. Your music school’s program manager or your teacher will share the details of your performance with you ahead of time: arrival time, the performance room, dress code, etc.
Make sure you arrive early in order to give yourself plenty of time to settle in, warm up, and get comfortable. While you wait, you can practice scales, take some quiet time by yourself, or pop on headphones and listen to songs that relax or pump you up.
Pack your sheet music as well as extra strings, reeds, or any other essential instrument accessories. You might also want to pack a water bottle and snacks.
4. The Power of Parental Support
As a parent, your support and encouragement can make a world of difference for your budding musician. Help them with the tips listed above: Keep them on track with their practice, talk about nerve management strategies, and ensure they’re ready on the big day.
In addition, the most important thing you can do is simply be their biggest fan! Cheer them on while they practice, offer to be their practice audience, and clap extra hard after their performance ends.
Remind them this experience is not about perfection. It’s about doing their best, growing, and having fun. On the day of the performance, your child will look to you for reassurance. Be calm, supportive, and present. A reassuring smile or words can go a long way in easing their nerves.
5. After the Recital – Reflect & Celebrate
Ice cream sundaes, a family gathering, a handwritten card—how will you celebrate after you take your final bow? Because no matter how the performance goes, your hard work and courage deserve to be applauded. You rock!
Make sure to also reflect on your performance:
- What went well? Think of specific examples.
- What could be improved for next time?
- What skills did you learn or improve from practicing and preparing for the concert?
- If you could go back and prepare for this concert again, what would you do differently?
This is a learning experience, and growth is the ultimate goal.
Recitals and concerts are a fantastic opportunity for students to showcase their skills, grow as musicians, and build confidence. With proper preparation, you’ll feel more confident, relaxed, and ready to shine on stage. Now…ready, set, perform!
