Virtual Studio Recital

Seeker

I wanted to share an idea with you that occurred last week when I was teaching two of my remote students, one just after the other over ZOOM. Although I password protect our sessions, I don't have a "waiting room", so the second student joined just a few minutes before the end of the first student's lesson. When that happened, I had the thought - why could we not take advantage of ZOOM to have a "virtual studio recital" periodically? We all get together at the appointed time - we decide on an order of play - we have rules of conduct (e.g. MUTE when not playing, be nice, etc) - we could standardize our performance views, i.e., camera angle(s), then people play and hear each other. Students COULD invite others to come and see them. And so on.

From there, the next thing that occurred to me related to people here on PIanoTell who want to learn better how to perform in front of others, how to manage what they feel as performance anxiety, and I encourage to reframe as performance excitement, but that's another discussion.

If doing something like this is of interest, please reply to this thread, and we can start working out some details. A ZOOM host would be required, wouldn't have to be me, and I'm not sure what else. To give people time we could aim for one mid-June.

Your thoughts?

ShiroKuro

Seeker I love this idea… although I’m not sure I would want to participate, or to what degree I would want to participate, because I tend to keep my identity private on the piano boards (probably moreso than many people here) … although maybe I could just use my standard recording angle (where all you can see is my hands… 😅

Also another thing we could do is only share the zoom link in private messages. We would also have to decide whether we would allow anyone to join who wasn’t also performing…. I would lean toward “only performers” I think…

I think I could host, although my zoom account is my work account so I need to think about whether that’s actually appropriate… 😅 wait, you said you could host the actual zoom room? That would probably best if that’s ok with you? and then you could add someone as a co-host just to help with managing?

The only other complicating factor is the question of time zones. For some reason, I have in my head that you @Seeker are in the UK, is that wrong?

I think @KevinM is in the UK right?

Perhaps we could get a thread started and people could list their interest and time zone?

Please copy and paste the list below:

INTEREST
Username, time zone, interest level, date/day, audience preference
ShiroKuro, US eastern time, cautiously interested, Sat/Sun, performers only

Seeker

ShiroKuro The only other complicating factor is the question of time zones. For some reason, I have in my head that you @Seeker are in the UK, is that wrong?

Yes, wrong, I live in what's called the DMV area (District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia) in Maryland, so I am in the Eastern time zone. Yes, I could host and would want a co-host to help keep the crowd under control😉.

FWIW - what sold one of my students, a HS freshmen and his dad on the idea was when I said, "...and you could invite people to hear you..." at which point dad said, "yes, grandma would love this (she lives in Canada...)".
If preserving anonymity is the issue, you could make a "Hands Only" camera view. You could also use screen name instead of the real one, something easily done in ZOOM.

KevinM

I also like this idea.

Prior to COVID I met once a month with some other locals in Sheffield at a church with a Yamaha concert grand and we would perform for each other. Partners were also there and not everyone played each month.

When COVID hit, it was moved to zoom which I joined for a while. But I struggled more with the quality of my pieces at the time as other demands on me became overwhelming.

Username, time zone, interest level, date/day, audience preference
ShiroKuro, US eastern time, cautiously interested, Sat/Sun, performers only
KevinM, UK, interested, most times are ok, happy to fit in with what others want in terms of who is included.

ShiroKuro

Seeker Yes, wrong, I live in what's called the DMV area

Yeah, that's not the UK.... who knows how I got that idea!! 🤣🤣🤣

thepianoplayer416

I'd love to join. Not always as a participant but also listen to students.

When I'm out of town, I'd take a travel keyboard along and it's plugged into the computer to get the sound out of the speakers. Hope the setup would work.

Of course there is the time difference so need to decide what is reasonable. Don't want to have people in difference places stay up in the middle of the night to join in.