Monday, June 09, 2008

Piano performance

Hallelujah and Amen brothers and sisters! Our spring recital is over!!

Overall it went really well. The students I was most worried about did really well! A few of the students I wasn't worried about at all had some troubles, but they did well too once they found their correct starting hand position. I was really pleased since this was the first recital for more than half of my students! (It was actually my first recital as a teacher!--without my mom that is.)

I actually performed as well. I figured that most of my students (and parents) had never heard me play. I played Le Cavalier Fantastique by Benjamin Godard. I have to admit that I actually played it for the Miss Navajo County Pageant 9 years ago! I practically had to relearn the whole thing since it's been so long; I did learn new parts of the song since I had to shorten it for the pageant. I am glad my audience was full of very beginning pianists! I did fine, but honestly it was not where I wanted it to be. The very worst thing was I hit the wrong last chord! The chord itself sounded ok, but was NOT an ending chord. So I hit a few more chords and ended on one that had enough resolution to it! (I did this the last time I played in front of an audience--3 years ago--at a Stake Conference! What is my problem?!) The kids were totally unaware. I think a few parents may have suspected. Ah well. Such is life.

I really wanted the kids to be able to recognize their (and everyone else's) songs, so I arranged 5 of the 11 songs since I couldn't find pieces I wanted in the level I wanted. I arranged 2 more songs (the theme from Beethoven's 5th and Eine, Kleine Nachtmusik by Mozart), but those students were unable to attend. Here was the program:


Classical Program

Johann Sebastien Bach: 1685-1750
Cami.....Minuet #4
Lia....Minuet #7
Haley....Solfeggieto

George Fredrick Handel: 1685-1759
Jake....Hallelujah chorus

Joseph Haydn: 1732-1809
Mason....Surprise Symphony

Wolfgang Mozart: 1756-1791
Rachel....Alla Turka

Ludwig van Beethoven: 1770-1827
Kalee....Ode to Joy
Madison....Fur Elise

Franz Schubert: 1797-1828
Jake....March Militaire

Jacque Offenbach: 1819-1880
Lexie....The Can-can

George Bizet: 1838-1875
Drue....Toreador

Benjamin Godard: 1849-1895
Celia....Le Cavalier Fantastique

6 comments:

Amanda said...

wow. good job. i am impressed. i don't think that i ever did a recital without mom, and i never arranged music for students either. i did, however, play le cavalier fantastique thousands and thousands of times (between practice and performance). good job on getting it back up and running.

Lindsay said...

Hooray! I'm glad it went well!

Celia Marie (W.) B. said...

Yes, Amanda, I think you are one person who can appreciate le cav.! In practice I almost had it up to speed, but I played it a little slower than full speed at the recital. I was so angry when I hit that last chord since I have NEVER played it incorrectly in practice. What the??? I guess it helps me empathize with my students who say "I swear I could play it right at home!" and "Your piano just sounds so different from mine!"

Lois said...

I am more than impressed. I have never played at a recital. It's just too stressful to get everything else ready. And then you played one of the hardest pieces ever. Seriously, this is a concert pianist piece. Congratulations!! By the way, I like how you arranged the program. I have arranged simple classical pieces before when we were having a classical recital and I wanted certain composers. Once again, congrats. Mom

-Laura- said...

Yea! I'm so glad it went so well for you! I was always one of the students who played perfectly during practice and then goofed it up during recital. Darn nerves. I still get shaky fingers playing in Sacrament Mtg. with the primary kids!

Ali said...

wow! I am so impressed. Arranging songs, performing... you are so talented! Even teaching, which I could probably do, makes me wary. Love keeping up with your life and your cute little Dean! :)