Student Concerts/Recitals (All Teachers)

[Eliza Fyfe]

So I hold quarterly showcases at a cocktail bar where I have a membership. One for each season/occasion – did 5 last year and they all went down well!

The students took to the idea enthusiastically and they’re sort of used to me pushing them to perform! As long as they’re comfortable of course! Some wouldn’t have done it I hadn’t insisted though – and have been glad they did it as they surprised themselves with how much they enjoyed it!

I made the events private – just for students and their guests. It was always cosy and with an open-mic feel so that people aren’t all seated and staring, which can be intimidating. However, the sense of community lies with the students being among one another, in the same boat, a shared experience where they aren’t the only ones nervous! And with the parents watching too!

I mainly use backing tracks as it gets a bit much hosting, organising people, doing the sound etc AND playing! Although I have accompanied where necessary or had band members which was fun! Or even duetted with the very nervous ones. Or sometimes the student accompanies themselves if they have been learning piano or are a guitarist.

Yes to unexpected issues! A teacher brought a CD of backing tracks assuming I was playing them in a CD player/laptop… but it was all mp3s! All the parents had come to see her students perform and she was suddenly without the tracks… thankfully she found them in her Dropbox and she played them there off her phone! That was a fight or flight moment for sure though…

I also found that having people on hand to help made a MASSIVE help to how smoothly the event ran – I cannot recommend it enough.

So I hosted these events on Sundays 5-8pm, but learnt that 3 hour events (in order to fit in 25 keen performers, both mine and my teachers’ students!) was too long, and people wouldn’t stay for the whole thing. It didn’t always matter – it was kids at the start, an interval where kids would leave, then mainly adults for the second half. But a lot less audience towards the end! So I ran a seated, paid event in December for my students and choir, made it 2 hours long, less acts, 3 helpers (sound and refreshments) and it was the smoothest event I’ve done! So my new plan is 2 events in one day (March, my next one) 2-4pm Matinee and 7-9pm evening show with a similar set up as the December event.

Hope that answers your questions!

[Kat Hunter]

Amazing advice! This is all super helpful.

You mentioned you did a paid event? How does the money end of things normally work? Do you pay the venue?

[Beckie Tunnicliffe]

Hi!

I run 2 events a year, one in the summer and one at Christmas. I do smaller events in between, I have just started hosting an open mic every other week so that my students have the chance to do a smaller event if they want to, as the larger showcases have roughly 100 people attending!

I’ve found these shows are extremely popular with the kids (especially as I teach a lot more of them than adults), most of my adult students try to shy away from them as they get too nervous! But those who have done it don’t regret it. I push people to do the shows, but ultimately I will not force them if they really don’t want to do it (in these cases those students tend to come along to watch anyway)

A lot of my family help with running the event – at the last one my Dad and sister took tickets on the door and sold raffle tickets, my Mum, Auntie and cousin ran the tombola/raffle and sold cakes/mince pies, and the manager of the venue did the sound and ran the bar. I’ve also in the past 2 shows started putting a ‘colouring table’ out for the younger children so that they can keep themselves busy, so that they are not distracting who is on stage.

I do pay for the venue but I get the money back through tickets. The first show I ever did there was free and it wasn’t feasible to keep doing it that way. All of my students understand why have have to charge tickets and I try to keep it as cheap as possible for them.

Most of the performers use backing tracks but I will accompany some on piano like if we have to change the key. Some have also accompanied themselves. I sometimes sing a song at the end (time permitting) as I always get badgered to do one by my students! Usually the shows last between 2 and 3 hours but I have an interval in the middle

[Eliza Fyfe]

@Kat, my December paid event was £3 on the door then an extra £2 for a mince pie and mulled wine. This meant my venue & refreshments costs were covered (school – £25 per hour, 3 hours hire including setting up and packing down) and the profits went to charity.

I didn’t do tickets and had no way of tracking people, so this is what I’m going to do differently for the Easter event – advance tickets, as I have a capacity limit of 150 in this new venue, so 100 tickets for guests, as I don’t charge performers.

@Beckie – yes, great if they come along to support the others if they don’t quite feel ready to perform. Chances are, they are inspired to do it next time! All sounds great with how you do things. Yep I’ll sometimes open/close with a song or duet with a student.

I love that the students get to meet each other and possibly even link up for bands/duets which has happened.

Would love some advice on the regularity of events: 5 last year was pretty full on, so now I’m doing 3 big ones (as I have to for choir anyway, at the end of each term) with students as supporting acts. Then I’m thinking of taking them to open mics in between (adults). I don’t run any as I don’t have the time, but I know a good one that allows you to play backing tracks off the phone/ipod. I am hoping that the students will make friends and go along on their own eventually, without needing me to hold their hands, as I rehearse most nights..!

Thoughts?

[Kat Hunter]

Open mics, and the idea of collaborations happening between students is such a cool idea! I’m still on the hunt for an open mic near me that feels chill enough for me to recommend it to my students or hold an event there. I think what’s happening near me is that sometimes a bar (not a cozy little music venue, but a sterile bar with zero space for the performer) will hold an open mic night to prop up their booze sales and have music without having to pay musicians. Bad vibes!

I think overall though, fewer concerts is not a bad idea. Better to do a smaller number of things in a way that feels good, than to burn out!!