On Nov. 11, the students of LaGrange Piano celebrated their fall semester with their first ever open-air recital. 

While teachers Allie Crawford and Becky Grabowski held a banner announcing “We Will Rock You,” studio director Noelle Reed encouraged parents, grandparents and friends of the students to get on their feet and make some noise for the 2018 recitalists. 

With the theme music from “Rocky” playing in the background, students punched through the sign and did a lap around a field full of their cheering friends and family before settling onto blankets or in  camping chairs to listen to music. Unlike more traditional recitals where students wait quietly for their turn to walk up on a stage in a pristine auditorium, students walked up to the piano that was placed inside a trailer surrounded by pumpkins and hay bales. In the background, ducks quacked along to the music and pigs and goats strolled by. 

“We were so glad the rain held off,” said Ms. Reed. “We wanted to try something new for our fall recital, and Harrelson’s Funny Farm was the perfect venue. We wanted everyone to have fun and just enjoy the music in a casual environment.”

LaGrange Piano offers music and performing arts lessons to children and adults of all ages. More than 60 of their students performed in their fall recital.

“This has definitely been my favorite recital,” said Crawford, who teaches both voice and piano. “My students have all been saying the same thing.”

“The kids had so much fun at this one that I’m not sure what we’ll do to top it at our spring recital,” Reed said. “But I’m sure we’ll think of something.”