Why do we require piano students to memorize?

Or, should we?

Ok, let's back up. Alot of us know, but here's a reminder: Franz Liszt normalized the practice of playing by memory in a performance. In this quote from a University of Rochester blog - "Playing without sheet music had been considered less than serious, because it looked like improvisation." Franz Liszt made it common. Check out this article from Colorado Public Radio on his many accomplishments:

So...... that's why we do it.

But - what about all of those musicians BEFORE Liszt? And, what about us NOW? Is playing by memory the best thing for all of our students? I think the time has come, when there is no right or wrong on this topic. Some students do well with memorizing, and there are definitely benefits. But others do not memorize well, and it's stressful for them. If you are in a situation where memorization is required for your students (i.e. festivals, competitions, certain recitals) - I recommend this quick method to get started:

If you would like even MORE help on recital preparation - I have a free recital prep checklist for you. Download it here:

Here’s me - wishing YOU the best in recital preparation for your students!