Recital & Piano Accompaniment Guidelines

Performing in front of a live audience is an important part of the Community Music School experience and is key to developing well-rounded musicians. CMS encourages students of all levels and ages to perform when they are ready, with permission from their teachers. Numerous free performance opportunities are available, including both in-house recitals and community events. Thanks to our generous donors, and recital season sponsors, all CMS recitals are free for students who perform and free for the public to attend. Participation is not required, but is strongly encouraged.

View all upcoming recitals on the CMS Events Calendar.

• FEE: Thanks to our generous donors, all CMS recitals are free and open to the public; there is also no fee for students who perform. 
• SIGN UP DEADLINES: The teacher must approve the student’s performance and submit the appropriate Google Form before the deadline.  See each recital event page for the form link.  Note the advanced deadline to request piano accompianment below.
• PIECE TO BE PERFORMED: To ensure that we can accommodate the many students who want to perform in CMS recitals, teachers will help students choose their best piece to perform.  Please note the updated guidelines, as follows:
  • Beginner/Early Intermediate students may perform one piece under 2 minutes in length.
  • Intermediate/Advanced* students may perform one piece under 4 minutes in length.
    • *For advanced students, consideration may be given for a longer piece with Executive Director approval. Please email your request to kelly@cmslv.org.
• ATTIRE: Students should dress appropriately for a performance.  Formal gowns and suits are not required; however, do not wear jeans, sweat pants, denim, shorts, or tank tops.
• EMAIL: About one week before the recital, the CMS Program Coordinator will send an email with important details about student check-in, seating, and the lineup.
• CHECK IN: Check in with the CMS staff upon arrival, and then proceed to the studios to warm up or wait to be seated. Please do not spend more than 15 minutes warming up in the studios.
• STORAGE: Students should store all jackets and instrument cases in the Isolation Room in the far end of the studio hallway. Do not put jackets and instrument cases in the recital hall. 
• SEATING:  For in-house recitals, performing students will be seated together at the front of the hall in the order they are to perform. After each student performs, he/she should return to his/her designated seat.
• EQUIPMENT:  CMS will provide the sound system, mics, music stands, chairs/bench, and a Steinway grand piano with bench and footstool. If you require equipment that your teacher did not include on the signup form, please notify kelly@cmslv.org as soon as possible. Do not touch any of the equipment unless explicitly instructed to do so. 
• CODE OF CONDUCT:  We encourage students and their families to stay for the entire recital so our students can learn to be good audience members and enjoy the performances of their fellow students.
  • Silence all cell phones.
  • Refrain from talking during a performance.
  • Do not enter or exit the recital hall while a performance is in progress.
  • If you absolutely must leave early, please do so quietly, in between, and not during student performances.
• PHOTOS/RECORDING: Photography/video recording of your student is permitted.
  • Please respect other performers and audience members. Limit flash photography, and do not talk during the performances.
  • We encourage students and parents to take photos/videos to share and tag CMS on social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube).
  • CMS staff will record the recital and share it via our YouTube channel at a later date. We will also send a private photo link to all parents after the recital. Please note that if technical issues arise, we may not be able to record every student’s performance.

Health & Safety Plan, updated 5/28/24

• IF YOU ARE SICK or may have had a Covid, flu, or RSV exposure, DO NOT COME TO THE RECITAL.
• Community Music School strongly encourages everyone to wear face masks, but does not require masks in our building. 
• The Dorothy H. Baker Recital Hall is equiped with MedifyAir air purifiers with HEPA and UV filtration. 
• Since students will be sharing music stands and the piano, they are required to use the provided hand sanitizer before and after their performances. 
• Read the full Health & Safety Plan.

Piano accompaniment for instrumental and vocal students is available for CMS recitals. If your teacher is unable to accompany you, we strongly recommend that you use one of our accompanists, to help you prepare for the performance and learn how to collaborate with a professional musician. 

To Request Piano Accompaniment

•  Review the guidelines below, then your teacher must complete the appropriate recital form  and provide accompanists’ scores at least 2 weeks prior to the recital deadline.  

•  Current accompanists available are:

Kelly Hooper, piano     Biography   Contact
CMS Teaching Days:  Monday – Friday

Ryan Hill, piano     Biography   Contact
CMS Teaching Days:  Monday – Friday

Laurel Nolin, piano     Biography   Contact
CMS Teaching Days: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday

Griffin Woodard, piano     Biography   Contact
CMS Teaching Days: Monday – Thursday

•  Students/teachers must provide the accompanists’ scores by attaching a PDF in the Recital Sign-Up Form, or emailing the scores to accompaniments@cmslv.org at least 2 weeks prior to the recital deadline.  

•  Students should be prepared to rehearse with the accompanist at least one to two weeks prior to the recital.  The student’s teacher should be present for the rehearsal if possible. 

• After the teacher submits the Recital Sign-Up Form, the student and their teacher will receive an email from accompaniments@cmslv.org with available time slots for an accompaniment rehearsal.

•  Fees for accompaniment:

Beginner $20.00, includes 15-minute rehearsal & performance
Intermediate $25.00, includes 30-minute rehearsal & performance
Advanced $35.00, includes 30-minute rehearsal & performance

If additional rehearsal time is required, CMS will apply a fee to the student’s account equal to the student’s regular lesson tuition.

CMS will apply accompaniment fees to the student family’s credit/debit card or ACH account on file in TeacherZone in the week following the recital.  

Performing in front of a live audience is an important part of the Community Music School experience and is key to becoming a well-rounded musician. CMS encourages students of all levels and ages to perform when they are ready, with approval from their teachers.  

We encourage both new and returning students to sign up for this free 1-hour workshop.  We will cover the basics of preparing for a live musical performance, including seating, how to enter and exit the performance space, how to bow, and how to be an engaged member of the audience.  Students may also have the opportunity to perform part of their recital pieces in front of their peers.  

We highly recommend that new students attend this workshop before performing in their first CMS recital. Existing students who would like a refresher course on performance basics are also welcome.