Do you have an upcoming concert or recital? Putting on a great event means mastering communication, motivation, marketing, and technology. The logistical details can make or break your concert or recital, while doing a great job with logistics will take things to the next level.
This episode of the Music Ed Mentor Podcast is all about the logistics. I’m joined by Ryan Guth of the Choir Ninja podcast. Together we cover the entire concert planning process, from choosing repertoire to the after-concert checklist. I guarantee you’ll get new ideas you can use on your very next concert.
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In This Episode, You’ll Learn How To:
- Plan ahead to give yourself peace of mind on concert night.
- Put on a concert that engages your audience.
- Mitigate the risk that your concert goes off the rails.
Free Performance Logistics Checklist
Download this ultimate planning checklist for concerts, with step-by-step action items to get you through the whole process.
This episode also has a bonus! You may remember Bruce Rockwell from our previous episodes on working with administrators. He’s included a concert promotion calendar. This bonus checklist will help make sure you’re playing to a full house.
Three Key Takeaways
“Send them home humming – or send them home thinking.”
Choosing repertoire is the first step in the concert planning process, and choosing a great closer is key. Make sure the audience remembers the concert by ending with a piece that gets parents singing in the car on the way home.
“The first thing the audience hears when we’re ready to begin is music.”
Get all the “business” out of the way using technology or by getting creative. Engaging your audience begins with playing music. After all, that’s why people showed up. Project a cell phone policy on the wall instead of making an announcement. Try an “e-program” online in addition to the printed program so there’s no need to go over it. Tune as part of the warm up. Get students to volunteer as ushers so there’s no need to make an announcement asking people to scoot to the middle. Eliminating these “business items” means you and the audience can focus on the music.
“It’s always important to debrief with your kids.”
If it’s elementary school, you might not be able to do a long-form debriefing. But always take the time to ask students what went well. For younger kids, it may be as simple as asking what their parents liked about the concert. For older kids, you may want to dedicate an entire rehearsal. Not only does this represent a valuable form of self-assessment, it can give you feedback you may have missed.