On Tuesday, May 6, 2025, the concert of piano students of teacher Evangelia Mitsopoulou took place in the Music School of Thessaloniki theatre “Oslianitou Theopisti” at 11.15 am, in the presence of parents and/or guardians and classmates. The “Piano Concert … just before the exams” included several pedagogical methods, which the teacher aimed to highlight through a rich and aptly structured programme.
A few days before completing their piano lessons (compulsory and optional), the students had the opportunity to express themselves and test themselves, which boosted their confidence before the exams. The experience of public performance helps to familiarise them with the stress of performing on stage, which is similar to exam stress. Students who attend or participate in the concert listen to others in similar repertoire, learning through listening, through practice, preparation, performance and feedback.
The concert is an intermediate goal on the way to the exams. This motivates the students, as they see in practice the stages of their progress. Through this process, they develop skills of self-criticism, self-improvement and personal responsibility. The concert can reveal elements that are not always evident in individual lessons, such as musicality, communication, self-confidence. It enables the teacher to adapt the final phase of each student’s preparation according to his/her performance in the presentation. Support from both parents and/or guardians and classmates is very important and fosters a healthy educational climate.
The piano teachers Evangelia Mitsopoulou and Michalis Tsiairas closed the concert with two pieces for two pianos by Arvo Pärt “Hymn to a Great City (1984)” and Darius Milhaud “Brasileira” (Scaramouche), emphasizing the importance of cooperation, exchange of views and preparation stages between two or more musicians.
Congratulations to the participating students for their performance and for testing their strengths on stage. Special thanks to the parents and/or guardians who have tirelessly followed their children’s studies at home throughout the year and attended the final presentation.
