Piano Recital Favors

Piano recitals should be a positive event in the young pianist's life. They are a time when students can see how they well they can perform under a bit of pressure, and they provide a rare occasion to play for an audience. It probably goes without saying that parents love recitals, too - after all, they are a great photo opportunity. What about favors for your piano recital?

I recently planned a piano recital. I wanted a favor idea that would be a nice keepsake for the students, but one that wouldn't be a budget-buster.

I came up with framed photos of the kids holding their recital piece of music. They were a hit!

Locate Frames
Your first step is to locate inexpensive frames. I found nice ones at the Dollar Tree for (obviously) $1 each. I chose frames that held a 4 x 6 photo, since that is a standard photo size.

Take Photos
A few weeks before the recital, I asked each student during her lesson to open up a book to her favorite recital piece. Then, we went outside (lighting and backgrounds are generally better outdoors than inside) and I took a photo of the student holding her recital piece in front of her, so that the camera captured the music as well as her face. When the students asked why I was doing that, I told them, "You'll have to wait and see ..." in a mysterious tone. They loved it!

Put the Favors Together
Now the easy part. Develop the photos, and put them into the frames. Voila! You have a nice keepsake of a special day. I wrote "Recital 2010" in a corner of each frame's glass using a metallic permanent marker.

Recital Favors
On the day of the recital, set up a table. I set this up in the room where I would be serving refreshments after the recital, but you can choose a location that works best for your situation. I arranged certificates for each student on the table, and set the framed photos on top of the certificates. This created a lovely visual display.

Piano recital favors don't have to cost a lot to be meaningful. For under $2, you can provide a lasting memento for your students.