The Art of Performance - Recital Opportunities for Lifetime Learners at ANMS
Music for All means that learning music at ANMS is not just for youth students, but adult learners as well! Whether you played cello growing up and are coming back after years off, or you’re picking up the flute for the first time, ANMS is for YOU! Among our adult offerings is The Art of Performance - an adult recital class coached by ANMS faculty member and pianist Rita Moerschel. See recital dates and sign up here!
So why should you participate in our Adult Recitals as a lifelong learner at ANMS? We talked to piano student Jane Galli and her instructor Alex Thomas to learn more about the benefits of participating. Read on to hear what they have to say.
Jane — ANMS Adult Student:
What inspired you to start playing the piano as an adult, and how has the experience of performing on ANMS adult recitals enhanced your musical journey?
“I was bringing my daughter to ANMS every week for piano lessons, and I thought that rather than just waiting the half hour downstairs for her, it would be more fun for me to take my own lesson at the same time as her lesson. Performing on ANMS adult recitals is a continuation for me from when I was a child taking piano lessons. Bi-monthly informal recitals were expected by my teacher, and these were without parents, just students in the audience.”
What advice would you give to other adults who might feel nervous about performing in a recital, especially if they’re feeling uncertain about their performance or skill level?
“I really appreciate that ANMS takes seriously that here, music is for EVERYONE, all levels, all skills, all personalities. You do not need to worry or be uncertain about performing because this is a friendly audience. Everyone wants you to succeed and learn and grow from the performances.”
How has participating in the ANMS recitals helped you grow as a musician, and what moments or experiences from your performances stand out as especially rewarding?
“When I have a performance coming up, it helps my instructor and me to set goals and milestones. Without the deadlines, I find that I can get a bit lazy about learning and practicing new material. The most rewarding ANMS performances for me are the ones in which the same musicians show up from the previous month's performance. When this happened a couple times last year, I really started to feel as though I was in a cohort of adult musicians, learning from each other and from each other's instructors too!”
Alex Thomas — Piano Faculty:
What do you think is the biggest benefit for adult students who participate in ANMS recitals, and how do you help them feel confident and prepared to perform?
“For any musician, performing is such an important part of the musical process. It encourages us to look at our music in a drastically different way than when we “finish” a piece and quickly move to the next. It gives us an opportunity to think deeply about the nuances of the piece and the detailed musical choices we make. We also learn the process of self-reflection and critique in a different way as we listen to ourselves and consider the perception of the audience. Similar to recording ourselves, this feedback loop is what gives the performer more agency and independence in the learning process.”
What growth have you seen in Jane since she started performing, and how has performing in front of an audience of like-minded peers helped her development?
“Over the past few years of working with Jane, she has always been motivated to push herself to perform and to step outside of her comfort zone. In doing so she’s set ambitious goals for herself and has been extremely open to the process of musical growth that takes place. Specifically, her ability to memorize and internalize music as well as quickly integrate new ideas into her interpretation has been one of the most noticeable benefits to this process. Our most recent performance preparation has allowed us to explore some extremely high-level musical ideas that we would not have addressed had we simply moved on after learning the piece.”
What would you say to adults like Jane who might be hesitant to sign up to play in a recital, and how can participating in these performances enhance their learning experience?
“My message to adults who are even considering performing would be to celebrate your craft. Simply learning a new discipline such as music is reason enough to share your art with others. In my experience, the act of sharing and connecting with others through music is one of the most emotionally profound experiences I can think of. It’s one that many non-musicians will never experience. Their diverse life experiences and ability to understand complex musical concepts gives adults a wealth of expressive opportunities not available to children and is something worth sharing.”