I've just rehearsed some of my littlest pianists for our local festival. I try to get them all performing regularly from the outset with informal concerts at home.

Excellent tip from my harp teacher that I have adopted for getting them to do a proper bow at the end, rather than a quick bob and run: Bend over and say to yourself "What colour socks to I have on today?" before you straighten up. I stood them in a line and we did it together several times, then one at a time and again after their performance.

Any other tips for performance practice you would like to share?

My dance teacher told us to do exactly that in performance curtesys! it works though, I'm now sixteen and I still do it on occassion and end up in fits of giggles as soon as I'm offstage!

Wait for quiet before you start - takes some nerve from a youngster, but when the piece may only last 45 seconds it is quite important. Visibly muttering to themselves "When are they going to shut up?" may not greatly endear them to the hall however.

There have been some good pints already.

1. Wait for quiet before starting.

2. Don't hide behind your music stand, make sure you can easily be seen by your audiance. If music is played from memory look at your audiance but don't let any individuals put you off.

3. Don't run off at the end, bow and thank the accompanist.

4. Tell yourself you played really well and you had a great time doing it, otherwise what was the point?

Some other general pinters for the day of a performance.

1. Know where you have to be and what time you need to be there before you leave home.

2. Turn up in plenty of time so you can have a warm up if so desired/possible. This will also allow you to be calm, of you are rushing to turn up on time then you will be all stressed.

3. go sit in the audience and enjoy the other performs before and after your turn.

I tell my pupils to keep playing, even if they make a small slip as the audience may not have noticed. I also remind them to count themselves in before they start. They should be really well prepared, playing a piece they know well.

I give mine the same tips Sunshimmer. I was telling one little pianist before a concert that if you make a little slip the most important is not to worry and just to carry on, because that way no one will even notice. She replied - "... but my Mummy will notice ..."- bless!

When discussing bowing and so on, I always tell my pupils that the audience claps to say well done, so you should smile and bow to say thank you back to them.

What tips to people give regarding performance nerves? I try to avoid talking about it all with the youngest pupils as some of them don't really even know to be nervous at first. I tend to discuss it if they say they feel worried or funny or nervous etc.

Banks's bitter was my favourite in the UK , but here in Utrecht it is Grolsch

These are good tips for any age of performer


This is true, but I would not say it. Mentioning the possibility of a slip is enough to make it more likely to happen. It should have been drilled into every performing musicians during try-outs with the teacher exhorting "Keep going" whenever a student makes a stumble ... or even a big slip[ [ and a good way to teach any student to keep going regardless is to play along with them ].

Should I teach them to bow? I've never done so. At our end of year concert they just get up and go back to their place and the next pair - announcer and player take over. Perhaps I am wrong.

Although I like my pupils to bow, some of them have tended to forget on the night and quickly move back to their families - quite understandably with little ones. So now I always give them a big smile as they stand up (I always sit close by them) and say 'don't forget to take a bow'. I think it makes the evening more of an occasion and I know the families like to see it.

I find bowing a bit creepy, to be honest. Our piano teacher tries to get pupils to do it, including me if I happen to be playing, and far from looking good it tends, with most people, to look embarrassed and uncomfortable. I'd rather encourage people just to take their applause for a moment then sit down. i can see it's very different for a professional or something high powered though.

I tell my children's choir to look gorgeous. They know exactly what I'm after, it relaxes them and it makes them smile.

My attitude to bowing is that it's part of the performance, not an optional extra. A smile at the audience and a bow are a silent way of saying "thank you for listening" not "didn't I do well?"!
Bowing in the context of a performance needs practice just as playing your instrument or presenting your song needs practice. If you don't practise doing it so that it's an automatic response the chances are that it will indeed look embarrassed and uncomfortable. Festivals offer a very good opportunity for practising making a clear announcement of what you are going to play and finishing off your performance with a bow and acknowledgment of your accompanist if any. When bowing, look at your knees, don't leave your head up to look at the audience. If you are holding an instrument (rather than e.g. playing piano) work out beforehand how to bow while holding it, and practise that too.

Definitely practise bowing! Whenever I have a new batch of pupils at a concert, I make everyone go to the front and practise bowing together. Anyone who doesn't bow properly after their performance gets to go back and have another go. Ditto announcements. My student concerts are very informal affairs in the safety of my teaching room, and it is all done in a very light-hearted way, but makes a serious point about presenting yourself properly. I get them to make their announcement to whoever is there at every mealtime for a week before a 'proper' concert or festival.

At last year's concert, one of my pupils - a 7 year-old boy - introduced his second piece 'Temple of Doom' in a suitable low, scary voice! I didn't know he was going to do it like that and thought it was funny, but apparently his parents didn't think so!

My daughter's piano teacher gets the pupils to introduce each other's pieces. She asks for volunteers so not everyone introduces a piece and some introduce more than one. Those who volunteer are asked if they have anyone in particular they want to introduce. She also asks the older ones to do a little research about the composer and/or the piece and to write their own personal introduction. It is interesting to see how the children choose to present things and what they think is worth mentioning.

As for bowing, I have posted on here before that when my daughter was seven and playing in her first concert her teacher had practised bowing with her. By the time my daughter had climbed off the piano stool (she was a diminutive seven) the applause had stopped so she just stood there. Her teacher asked her what the matter was and she whispered in her ear that she wanted to do her bow so her teacher asked if everyone would please clap again so she could do her bow. Everyone laughed but did clap, my daughter bowed and was pleased with the whole thing.

I'm watching this thread for interest. I too feel uncomfortable bowing etc but want to seem open and confident about it all (both entering, playing and bowing) at my forthcoming recital. (It's getting scarily close )

Are the tips you give kids and adults different? If they are can we have an adults tips thread too? Please.

kerioboe: that's really sweet.

Their is nothing "creepy" about bowing, you should go to more performances/shows and see that this is a normal practice. If I am in the audience and you dont bow it signifies to me that you cant be bothered to acknowledge my attendance. At my childrens school the music director has emphasied the bowing as its the only point that parents are allowed to take photos, so if your child just runs off chances are you dont get a photo and they look foolish as the MD just calls them back to do a proper bow. The year 7s find it difficult but by Year 8 they know its standard practice.

My daughter plays in a jazz band where they each have a solo. When one band member is soloing, the others stand aside so that they "have their moment" and if they have a free hand will also clap the soloist. The soloist always acknowledges the applause with a distinct bow of the head. At the end they all come forward and bow together for 3 counts. Nothing embarassing or creepy about it at all.

I went to see China Moses, (Jazz singer) at Ronnie Scotts and it was a very quiet audience. She sang amazingly and my other half let out a real loud "whoop" of appreciation. China Moses turned to him, bowed deeply and said "why thank you so very much". After that the audience woke up and really rocked in apprecation, she bowed and clapped back at us. We, the audience, appreciated her appreciation.

My singing daughter says that the Russian singers have a perfect curtsey, that is not a "dip". Its one foot well back, so they dont fall over, head bowed not too deep and hand on heart... very theatrical she was taught - hands on knees bend slightly at the waist with head tucked in for five counts. (look at the Beatles) Plus the performer should always thank the acompaniest with a simple open arm guesture in their direction.

Having never made them bow I think if I start now they are going to be embarassed - above all the older ones. Could I start by making them wait until the applause has finished and then smile and say "Thankyou"
It seems that people feel that bowing is an acknowlegement of the fact that the public have listened. ,So perhaps I ought to instigate something but to go from nothing to a proper bow would freak out a lot of mine.
Any other suggestions please?

Perhaps you could get them to look around the audience and give a big smile. Or what about a nod of the head - like a half bow? Does that make sense?

Yes - that sound like a good idea. I'll try it out in lessons and see how they respond. Thanks!!

Well I'm sorry for thinking it's creepy but I can promise you it's not from lack of experience. I completely agree that if it's going to be done it must be practised and done whole heartedly, but I still there's a time and a place and not every occasion calls for it. At our local and very friendly festival just one child bowed and it looked artificial and inappropriate. By all means applause should be accepted but that doesn't have to mean a bow if the occasion doesn't warrant it or the performer would find it awkward.

In my line of work people bow or not as they feel. Some people chose to bow and do it well but plenty of others don't and their performance is no less good. But the very worst performers are those who think they should bow but either don't want to or don't know how. It makes the audience uncomfortable which is a cardinal sin.

There may be an argument for getting children to bow as a good habit, but I still find it creepy!

I don't bow at the end of a performance but I do smile at the audiance after my performance and wait for their applause to finsh before leaving the stage.