When Covid forced us all online in 2020, I wanted to offer a performance opportunity for my students and came up with the Winter Video Recital. In 2021, the kids were excited to the recital again, so I’ve decided to make it a regular event. The recital is posted on Youtube with link-access-only and then deleted after the holidays to limit the children’s online presence. You are welcome to share the recital with friends and family.
Before you record your child playing for the online recital, there are a few things to consider:
- Use the best device you have to get the best sound and picture.
- Experiment a bit having your child play small sections of the piece and record from different spots in the room and different camera angles. You may find the sound is better on the right side of an acoustic piano (the high end). You may have to adjust the volume on an electric keyboard up or down to get the clearest sound.
- Use your imagination and creativity to make the video how you want it to be. Your child can dress up in his or her best Christmas clothes, wear fuzzy slippers and reindeer antlers, shoot at night with minimal lighting or candles, etc….make the video your own!
- I will add the student’s first name only and the name of the piece on an ‘insert’ before each video, so there is no need to announce the piece.
- A smile and bow is a good way to finish any recital performance, but you can choose how you want to end your video.
- Students can choose any kind of Christmas, Holiday, or winter-themed piece.
- Camera-shy students don’t need to show their face. Maybe take a video of their hands or even your Christmas tree or dog sleeping with the piano music in the background. Use your imagination! This virtual recital is for everyone even if performing isn’t their thing.
- Most importantly, watch your completed video carefully before sending it to me. Make sure it is how you want it to be.
Students nowadays are very proficient with using technology and usually end up helping their parents. I consider my children to be my in-house tech support staff. Here are the instructions for sending me your video.
- After recording, share the video with me at officiallawsonmusicstudio@gmail.com using Google Drive. To share on Google Drive: Click on your video, click on the three vertical dots in the upper right hand corner, then click share, and type my gmail address in the ‘add people and groups’ box. The school districts in the area use Google Drive, so your child should be familiar with it.
- The video file should be .mp4. Other formats are accepted on Google Drive, but this is the most common.
- And that’s it! I will confirm with an email that I have received your video.
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