Last Updated on 2022-11-27 | Originally Posted on 2021-10-29
Introduction
This past Saturday, October 23rd, we had our third annual Halloween Piano Party. The event made its debut in 2018 but skipped last year due to the pandemic. I decided to do things a little bit differently this year. Instead of doing one event for all, I set up four rolling start times each half-hour so that people wouldn’t have to stay for the entire event. It enabled folks to rotate people in and out of the room so that we had adequate social distance. We all wore masks (the Covid-19 type) except during photos and playing.
Every year is a bit different, but like other years, we had a lot of day-before cancellations. That can be frustrating, like when six students scheduled in the first time block imploded to just one. However, everything turned out okay. The 11 students and their families that showed up made the event a success. They seemed glad that they had attended, and I even got a couple of nice thank you emails following the event!
Perfection Wasn’t the Goal
Two of the students got to play their memorized pieces for the Sonata/Sonatina Celebration coming up in two weeks. Everyone else got a chance to play whatever they were working on or finished this fall. The goal wasn’t thoroughly-polished, recital-worthy performances. It was simply to remember what it is to play in public, or perhaps for the first time with a supportive audience. Having plenty of opportunities to perform is important, as I mentioned in this older blog post that I just revised.
Tara was the winner of the costume contest, judged by five piano teachers from Ireland, Canada, and the United States following the event.
Candy and Apples
I had some filler Halloween improvisation pieces ready to teach, but as it turned out they weren’t necessary. I have enough older students playing longer pieces that the time flew by! Everyone sanitized their hands after playing, then got a chance to pick up snacks and an apple from the Trick or Treat table.