Performance tip: When should my students bow?

[Gill the Piano]

All the music festivals I've been to have seemed to involve the child announcing the piece beforehand ("My name is Vladimir Ashkenazy and I would like to play Black Sabbath's Greatest Hits") and then bowing afterwards. Any help?!

[Danielle]

A student should announce their piece of music by saying "I am going to play..." not "I would like to play..." They do not need to ask permission for what they are going to play, they should be confident.

The bowing should come afterwards and I get my pupils to look directly at their feet as they bow, taking it slow saying "pianoforte" (or whatever instrument they are performing) as they bow, slowly. They are saying 'thank you' to their audience for listening and should take time to reap in the compliments of the audiences applause!