Not everyone is cut from the same cloth, and this is a good thing!  It is often pointed out that the world would be a boring place if everyone were the same.  However, this important fact is still not pointed out enough.  We should all remember the fact that it is good that people respond differently to different events and facts. As it is often said, “variety is the spice of life.”

With this in mind, your child may respond differently to his or her first music recital.  Some children may be excited, others extremely nervous and still yet others indifferent.  The trick is to not force them into feeling or behaving in a way that will only add to their stress.  Odds are that no matter how they are acting, they have some degree of stress.  Very few children (or even adults for that matter) are completely comfortable performing in front of crowds.

A calm child is likely to perform better at a music recital than a stressed out “basket case” of a child.  Of course, you want your child motivated, but you don’t want your child to be freaked out either.  The best approach is to tell your child to take the music recital seriously and to focus and do a good job.   Instilling into your child an impression that their entire future is riding on the success of their music recital is likely to be highly counterproductive in the long run.

Reducing nervousness is a major step in the right direction.  As a parent, one of your main jobs in the music recital process is to make sure that you are calm and your child is calm.  Work to make sure that your child stays calm.  Since you know your child the best, you can think of what calming factors are best to use.

Thinking ahead is key.  Even though a music recital might be weeks or even months away, as the parent you set the tone.  The fact that you establish and maintain the tone cannot be overemphasized.  If you seem nervous about the upcoming recital, your child is likely to feel and act the same way.

If your child becomes nervous about the music recital, they could become nervous about music in general.  Let’s say, for example, that they do not love performing in public.  That fear of performing in public could get transferred onto music.  The end result could be that they don’t like music.  This is why making sure that your child is calm for a music recital is key.  If your goal is to help foster the creation of a lifelong lover of music, art, creativity and learning, then you and your child are best served by making the process a calm and positive one.

To make sure your child keeps their nervousness to a minimum. Make sure they practice on a consistent basis before the recital. Regular consistent practice in better than waiting till the last minute and trying to learn their music the week before recital. Speak positively with your child that a recital is an opportunity for them to share with friends and family what they have been working on in their music lessons leading up the music recital performance. Performing in public is much like speaking in public, it takes practice. So preparing to the best of your abilities and doing the job they can is all you can ask for as a parent. Remember if you stay calm and let your children know that a recital is just as exciting for them as it is for you then it can be an opportunity for both of you to appreciate and enjoy the event.