I did it. I survived two holiday concerts in two weeks (oh, the joys of working in two buildings). As the performances approached, I wasn't nervous about the students' singing (we started working on concert music the second week of school, the students just didn't know it), but I was nervous about proving myself to my peers and the students' parents. It was my first opportunity to show everyone that I was qualified to teach music, and I didn't want to blow it. In the end everything went very well, and the principals and parents were pleased. So my advice is this: don't give up or get discouraged. Obviously you can't give up on the concert, but don't "give up" on the concert being a success. Plan ahead so that your students have time to learn the music and feel comfortable performing. Have back-up songs ready if others don't work out. I threw out one song a month before the concert and inserted a song that I was working on with another grade. The students sang it in canon with an ostinato, so it was grade-appropriate. It's also important to be mentally prepared. Walk through the concert in your mind during the day, so the evening performance holds fewer surprises. And don't forget concert programs - they're the perfect way to tell your audience what your students have been learning in class!
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