Having laboured long to write something pithy and short , I'm now in a quandary about whether or not to do verbal introductions to my pieces next Monday. I've heard that it can break concentration to do so, but have the problem that my programme could look unbalanced, given that there is as good as no Classical or Romantic repertoire for recorder, and wondered if it would help to say something too? I have two early baroque pieces, which demonstrate very different technical aspects of recorder-playing, then a modern avant-garde piece, and finally a typical High Baroque Italian Sonata. Has anyone any thoughts on this?

I didn't do verbal announcements other than to say "And now I'm going to sing......."

Didn't get penalised.

I didn't speak at any of my diploma recitals, except to chat to the examiners before and after - at their instigation. I did shake hands with them on entering the room when I gave them the copies of my music.

Ann

I don't think we have to speak much more than short introduction really.

The examiner will understand the repertoire of the recorder and maybe we could incorporate a short appreciation of the fact in the written programme notes. (I'm doing the same exam by the way!)

So far I have
Vivaldi G minor sonata and Telemann G minor (methodical) so I will choose between them
Czardas and Krahmer Variations so I will probably choose from these aswell
Tea for Two and That Old Feeling (the two make one choice)
Carrolling

I don't know if I totally missed a post - anacrusis, how did it go? were you pleased with yourself?

It has happened, right? I lose track...

Yes, it happened. Total panic when I added up the times of the pieces the day before - when I'd done my original trial run of timings, I'd not learned them as well, so was slower...and found myself six minutes short. Put in the final repeat which we'd been going to miss out, did do some introducing in the end, blew a trial tuning note every time I changed instruments, and finished in 35 minutes, meeting the time limits after all. A few minor fluffs, but my teacher said it went OK, so I'm happy enough. Waiting....

Sounds like it was OK, what a nightmare over timings for you! Glad you managed to work it out. Fingers crossed for you!

Woo not long to wait anacrusis, Trinity are normally quick with their results! Hope you get a big fat distinction

Good wishes much appreciated, though reality likely to fall well short of that! I'll be happy with a pass...especially given the excessively long thread about diploma failures.

I would keep quiet.
They're going to grill you in the viva anyway.

Let your programme notes and performance speak for themselves.

You can communicate a lot by a smile and a composed silence.

Not for ATCL they won't....

anacrusis, which pieces did you play?

No viva in ATCL recital.
Programme notes limited to 300 words - vicious and merciless pruning required, so the small intro for each piece allowed me to explain terms like "Stylus Phantasticus".

Benjaminja - Cima, Sonata 2 - on tenor: van Eyck, "Phyllis Schoone Herderinne", on descant; Linde Fantasien & Scherzi, treble; Corelli opus V no 3 violin sonata in a contemporary (to Corelli, that is) edition for recorder.

Sounds an interesting programme! Ooh, a whole sonata on tenor. I'm no good at tenor - it feels really uncomfortable. Perhaps I just have feeble hands...

the Cima is very early Baroque - 1625-ish, so the sonata is only about 4 minutes' playing time if done serenely (!) - and I'm lucky enough to have very un-ladylike big mitts and little fingers which stretch out sideways a long way. I've heard the piece on descant, but it then becomes more frantic, and I prefer the tenor - almost sounds like a baroque flute. The van Eyck, on the other hand, wants to twiddle away up high on a descant... to my ears, anyway.

A quick update - the verbal presentation was well received.