In a day and age when gifts and talents are easily shared via the internet, social media, and instant messaging, why should young students perform? Aren’t there enough ways to showcase my child? This article will hopefully provide some additional insight into the reasons why we believe this aspect of musician-making is so important.
Personal Expression
Recording a young student playing their latest method book piece on the piano and posting it to social media is an incredible way to honor their achievement, but did they really understand the scope of their music-making without physical human beings there to watch? When we are given an opportunity to share a piece of ourselves with many others, it allows us to express what is truly within. Even the youngest performers understand this!
Receiving Compliments
Chances are, if you’ve ever performed before (especially at a Vibe Recital Soiree), you have received affirmative words about your performance from people other than just your parents. As a personal anecdote, and believe it or not, some of my most formative times in life occurred standing in a lobby following a performance. There I was doing two things: a.) responding to compliments with gratitude, and b.) watching OTHERS respond and accept compliments with way more grace and sincerity than myself. I got to see others interact with such life and humbleness that I had no choice but to adapt myself. What a great milestone also for the young performer!
The Effect of Community
Our western culture gathers for many reasons; to meet for business purposes, to worship, to observe a holiday or birthday, and to reconnect. However, not many other gatherings happen in our society to celebrate the essence of who we are as humans. We might gather to celebrate a milestone in one’s life such as a graduation or baby shower, but none of these define a person’s identity like a demonstration of the arts does. We always teach our students that playing and performing music is not simply reading what’s on a page; instead it is an activation of our soul that is generously put on display. This is an extremely important human element to recognize as a community that gathers to observe it.
At Vibe, we believe so strongly in giving students opportunities to perform that we offer Recital Soirees four times per year! In fact, one is just around the corner in February, and we’d love to have you as part of it. Feel free to access this link to register today, and indicate just a few pieces of information about the performance. We are SO excited to celebrate with the Vibe family again soon! What an important event this is.
- Tyler Long, Administrative Assistant/Music Instructor at Vibe Music Academy.
