The performance of a recital is an important milestone for every music student. Planning the performance is as important as practicing the music, for without careful planning, the recital may not happen at all.
All students planning a recital should begin the planning process in conjunction with their applied instructors in the spring semester before the academic year in which the recital is to occur. Students are strongly encouraged to print and use the Recital Preparation Checklist to aid in their planning.
Recitalists must complete a Recital Proposal, which has two main parts:
- The Recital Scheduling Request Form
- This form serves as the cover sheet to the proposal
- Applied instructors and accompanists sign this cover sheet to confirm their approval of the recital proposal, proposed dates, and their participation
- Date selection takes place on this cover sheet
- Refer to the Date Selection section of this handbook for available dates
- Students must select proposed dates from the dates listed
- Students must select at least two proposed dates
- The Recital Proposal
- One to two pages (three pages maximum).
- Contains a detailed description of the entire project (see below)
The Recital Proposal, with applied instructor and accompanist signatures and the Recital Date Selection form, is due to the Conservatory office one week prior to the last day of classes in the spring semester prior to the academic year of your proposed recital.
Guide to writing the Recital Proposal
Your applied teacher is integral to the preparation of your recital proposal and should be consulted prior to writing the proposal and should review the proposal prior to submission.
Download and complete the Recital Scheduling Request form. This is the cover sheet to your proposal, and is the sheet that panelists sign.
Following the cover sheet, please describe your recital in a clear, concise, one- to two-page proposal (three pages maximum):
- Describe the musical works under consideration for your recital (composers, titles, movements).
- Include a brief discussion of why those works are most appropriate, how they go together to form a program, etc.
- List the timings of each work along with the total time of all proposed music.
- Demonstrate the timing of the recital fits within the timing guidelines for your degree program.
- If some pieces are to be specially arranged/composed, discuss how you will obtain these pieces and the timeline associated with them. Who will approve the arrangements/compositions?
- List any collaborators required for your recital.
- This may be an accompanist, or could be additional performers (duets, trios, other chamber music, etc.).
- Collaborators should be identified by name, as well as their role in the recital (what are they playing/singing, what piece(s), etc.
- The proposal should indicate collaborators' confirmed agreement to be part of the recital.
- For student performers, collaborators must also have the permission of their principal applied instructor.
- Describe any special features of your proposed recital and how you will ensure these are available and appropriate.
- Special instruments needed (incl. harpsichord, fortepiano, etc.)
- Audiovisual elements (audio playback, projected images, etc.)
- Show your timeline for successful completion of the recital.
- Include proposed dates for recital hearing, dress rehearsal, and performance
- Include submission dates for music to your collaborators
- Include a rehearsal schedule with collaborators and your principal applied instructor
- Include an annotated list of at least 5 sources which will provide background material for your recital's musical preparation and the recital program/program notes
- This list may include books, journal articles, recordings, videos, websites, and scores.
- The annotation is a short summary of the source’s contents and why it applies to your project.
- Annotations from MUSCAT or online databases are fine, but must be appropriately cited.
- You need not have completed any reading or listening at this point.
Example of a Completed Recital Proposal and Cover Sheet
The following two examples of a completed recital proposal and cover sheet are provided for your reference and used by permission. Note the version of the cover sheet in both of these examples is NOT the current version, and yours will look different.