BRRRRRRRIIIIING! Your alarm is ringing. It’s the day (or week) after the concert. You drag yourself out of bed. You’re so exhausted you almost put salt in your coffee. You’re tempted to use a personal day — whose idea was it to schedule a school day after the concert anyway? Oh yeah.
In any case, if the situation I’m describing sounds like you I completely get it. Concerts are draining and exhausting. Sometimes they feel THANKLESS. It is exhausting mentally, physically and emotionally. We are coming off of the adrenaline of running a show. It’s hard to flip the conductor-teacher switch after a performance.
As tempting as it may feel to take a personal day or pop a movie in, I always try my best to take advantage of the days after a concert. Why? The performance is still fresh on everyone’s minds and it is the perfect time for concert reflection.
What Is Concert Reflection?
Concert reflection is the chance to celebrate a job well done. It acknowledges the glows and grows of the performance. It starts a foundation and plan for future performances.
Why Is Concert Reflection Important?
- Affords the opportunity to celebrate successful moments (glows)
- Presents the chance to identify areas for improvement (grows)
- Sets the stage for a stronger performance at the next concert
What Should Students Reflect On?
It honestly depends on what you teach and the grade level. For my youngest grades, I like to have them describe a favorite moment, share something they learned and something they’d like to improve the next time. I also will have them draw a picture of a special moment in the concert. For my older students, I sometimes will utilize rubrics and have students answer reflection questions about the performance or write a letter to themselves.
Concert Reflection for Younger Children
Concert Reflection for Older Children
Concert Reflection for Instrumental Music Students
Here are some ideas on what students can reflect on…
- The best (or their favorite) part of the performance.
- Behavior (etiquette) on stage
- Components of performance (for older students)
- Notes
- Rhythms
- Tone
- Intonation
- Dynamics
- Balance
- Blend
- Expression
- Musicality
- Identify a part that could have been improved – explain why.
- Explain something learned or discovered for the next concert.
Tools To Guide The Reflection Process
Consider using one or more of the following to help guide your reflection process with students…
- Taped Concert Performance – Allows students to see (and hear) their performance. This is a great idea especially when performance etiquette needs reinforcement.
- Audio Recording – Students can hear the performance without the distractions of a visual. Allows students to focus on the music alone.
- Photos – Can be used to reference concert attire, performance etiquette, etc…
Teacher Reflection
Guess what? You should be reflecting too! Maybe you already know what went well or what improvements need to happen. You may also be so exhausted you can’t think straight. That’s okay too. When you feel inclined, take a few moments to consider your own glows and grows. You may have huge changes to make or perhaps you need to tweak one or two parts of your process. Write down anything you want to plan different for the next concert. You’ll thank yourself for planning ahead. If you’re looking for more tips on concert planning, check out my post on Concert Planning for Music Teachers.