The usual rules
- Levels rise through the program. Beginners first, intermediate in the middle, the most advanced player last. Nerves last longer than pieces, so the youngest are glad to be done early.
- Space a player's pieces. A student with two pieces, or a solo and a duet, gets a rest between them. That is the same gap a dance studio uses for a costume change, measured in pieces.
- Contrast. A slow nocturne after a slow waltz drags. Alternate tempo and style where the levels allow it.
- Timing. Allow time for bows, bench height and page setup: the changeover between pieces.
These are teaching habits, not a published rule; set them the way your studio does. There is no rulebook to cite for recital order, so the sources below are the tools studios use today, read on the date shown.
Worked example: a 12 piece recital
Seven students play 12 pieces. Ella and Jun play a solo each and a duet together; Ruby, Owen and Grace play two solos; Maya and Grace play a duet. The recital has two parts with an act break (no interval) before piece 6: levels 1 and 2 are pinned to part one, levels 4 and 5 to part two, and level 3 goes wherever it fits. The youngest player opens and the most advanced closes. With a gap of 2 pieces, the pieces in the order they were typed have 3 players too close to their next piece. The planner builds this order with none, running about 43 minutes with 45 seconds between pieces:
| No. | Piece | Player | Level | Starts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minuet in G | Ella | Level 1 | 18:00 |
| 2 | Ode to Joy | Jun | Level 1 | 18:02 |
| 3 | The Happy Farmer | Nora | Level 1 | 18:04 |
| 4 | Fur Elise | Ruby | Level 3 | 18:06 |
| 5 | Heart and Soul, duet | Ella and Jun | Level 2 | 18:10 |
| 6 | Hungarian Dance No. 5, duet | Maya and Grace | Level 4 | 18:12 |
| 7 | Gymnopedie No. 1 | Owen | Level 3 | 18:16 |
| 8 | Arabesque No. 1 | Ruby | Level 4 | 18:20 |
| 9 | Clair de Lune | Grace | Level 5 | 18:25 |
| 10 | Solfeggietto | Owen | Level 4 | 18:30 |
| 11 | Maple Leaf Rag | Maya | Level 4 | 18:34 |
| 12 | Nocturne in E flat | Grace | Level 5 | 18:38 |
To do this yourself, paste one row per piece with the player or players after the title, set the gap on the Rules tab, add an act break where the second part starts, and pin the opener, the closer and each level to its part.
Common mistakes
- Entering a duet as two pieces. It is one piece with two players. Put both names on it.
- Forgetting the accompanist. A teacher or a parent who accompanies several students is a performer too. Add them to each piece, or give them a gap of 0 if they stay at the piano.
- Ordering by age only. A gifted eight year old may play a level 4 piece. Pin by level, not by age, if level is what the audience hears.
- No time for the bench. Forty five seconds between pieces adds up. Put a realistic changeover on the clock so the recital ends when you said it would.