However, I don’t think too much time should be devoted to learning the music for the recital. The time could be much better spent working on other things.

I have a recital in early February, when there’s hardly anything else going on, and that suits almost everyone.

96% of my students starts a Christmas book of their own the first week of October. It’s difficult with so many beginners and intermediates, but I can put nearly all 25 students in different books. No recital pieces are decided in October – this month is just for getting to know your book, playing pieces just for fun, 1-2 pieces per week. In November we decide on recital pieces (1-2 pieces per student) and I have the same rule about not duplicating a similar version of a piece (ie: Silent Night). If there are 2 Silent Night’s, however, I’ll allow it, but they must be completely different versions (ie: beginner vs. advanced) and I will program them far apart from each other in the recital.

We then spend Nov-Dec polishing recital music, but I also assign other Christmas pieces in their book (and keep up on theory, technique, and any other repertoire). Our goal is to finish the Christmas book they started in October, by the time Christmas break starts. Next year, they will probably have advanced to a new higher level book. When they resume lessons in January, the Christmas book stays home, much to the shock and awe of many students! We pianists get to play some of the best Christmas music ever, it’s only during a very short time of the year, so we like to make the most of it!