Piano Recital Performance Rubric

Criteria	Unsatisfactory	Developing	Competent	Exceeds Expectations
Accuracy	Several note mistakes Long pauses or restarts	Occasional note mistakes Minor pauses or restarts	Few note mistakes Virtually no pauses or restarts	No note mistakes Seamless performance
Expression & Dynamics	Little to no variation in volume or tempo No expressivity conveyed	Some variation in volume or tempo Some expressivity conveyed	Effective variation in volume or tempo Expressivity matches composition	Exceptional variation in volume or tempo Expressivity greatly enhances composition
Technical Ability	Incorrect posture Erratic use of pedals	Needs improvement in posture Inconsistent use of pedals	Correct posture Appropriate use of pedals	Perfect posture Skilled use of pedals
Performance Etiquette	Disrespectful to audience Doesn’t engage or fails to show up	Minimal engagement with audience Lacks readiness	Respectful to audience Appears ready and focused	Engages and captivates audience Exceptionally prepared

This rubric takes four parameters into account: accuracy of notes, expressivity, demonstrated technical abilities such as posture and pedal use, as well as performance etiquette towards the audience. Each of these four criteria can be evaluated on a scale from unsatisfactory to exceeds expectations based on the observed performance.