Student Recital Program Template Guide

This document provides a step-by-step guide to using the Desautels Faculty of Music
recital program template.

1. General Guidelines
2. Front Page
3. Program Page
4. Formatting Content
5. Texts, Translations, Program Notes

The formatting information in this guide has been adapted from Drake University’s “Style Guide for
Instrumental Recital Programs” and “Style Guide for Vocal programs.”

Additional formatting information taken from Kate Turabian’s “A manual for writers of research papers, theses, and
dissertations: Chicago style for students and researchers.” (2008)
1 GENERAL GUIDELINES

TEMPLATE

The program template was created using Word and is editable on laptop or desktop computers. The template is
set up to create a folded program on letter-sized paper (2 pages per sheet, double-sided).
 The total number of pages for your program will always need to be a multiple of 4.
 The template currently has pages for text, translations, and program notes. If you do not need these
pages, delete them before you submit your program for printing.

PRINTING

Final programs should be emailed to music@umanitoba.ca for printing one week before your recital. Please
send both .pdf and .docx files.

The office will provide 30 printed copies of your prepared program. You will receive an email confirmation once
your program has been printed.

FONT, FORMATTING, LAYOUT

 Placeholder text shows some instances of bold and italicized fonts, it is recommended that the final text
retains this format.

 Images should not be inserted into your program

 All placeholder text should be replaced with information specific to your recital. E.G. Remember to
replace “Date and Location” with your recital date and location.

 Myriad Pro, Calibri or Arial fonts work best with the current setup. Some adjustments to spacing may
need to be made if you alter the font type.

 The page size should not be changed.

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2 FRONT PAGE
The front cover contains all of the basic information about the recital:

University of Manitoba
Desautels Faculty of Music

Presents

Name of student in bold, instrument in italics

With guest musicians/supporting musicians/collaborative pianist [as applicable]

Name of guest(s), instrument*

Recital date
Recital time
Recital Location

Given in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Bachelor of Music (Performance) degree,
Bachelor of Jazz Studies degree, Post-Baccalaureate Diploma, Master of Music degree.**

Formatting tips:

 If you are adding a list of several musicians, you may need to delete some of the blank lines and/or
reduce the font size. For readability, maintain similar spacing between the main elements of the front
page.

 The text “Given in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Bachelor of Music (Performance) degree,
Bachelor of Jazz Studies degree, Post-Baccalaureate Diploma, Master of Music degree” should remain
as-is, with the exception of the degree type. Only include your degree, delete other degrees as
necessary.

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[Grab your reader’s attention with a great
quote from the document or use this space
to emphasize a key point. To place this text
box anywhere on the page, just drag it.]
Sample front page

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3 PROGRAM PAGE

The program page has been set up using two textboxes, one for titles, one for composer information.
Take note of the following:

 The title of each piece is left-justified.

 The composer’s name and dates are right-justified.
 If you need to indent a line (example, if you are playing a movement from a larger work) use the
spacebar to indent. Do not use the Tab button.
 For information on how to format titles, please see section 4

All pieces should fit on one page. The template is currently formatted to have a 12-pt font size on the program
page, if you cannot list all of your pieces on the same page, adjust the font size as necessary.
 The text boxes for composer information and titles are separate, remember to adjust the font for
each box separately.

3.1 TROUBLESHOOTING

If you are having trouble with formatting, check the following on each
textbox:

 Spacing (Right click in the textbox  click “paragraph”)

o “Before” and “After” should both be set to 0.
o Ensure that the line spacing for each textbox is set to
“single”

 Still having trouble? Try these online resources:

o https://www.thoughtco.com/text-boxes-in-microsoft-
word-3539988
o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqE2TCFfhvA

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4 FORMATTING CONTENT

4.1 TITLE OF WORKS

GENERAL FORMATTING INFORMATION

 Individual instrumental works that are identified by their generic names—symphony, quartet, nocturne,
etc.—are capitalized and in regular font (not italicized, bolded or in quotes).

Nocturne in E-flat Major, op. 9, no. 2 Frédéric Chopin

(1810–1849)

 The abbreviation No. (number; plural nos.) is set in regular font (not italics or quotes) and usually
capitalized for the title and lowercase (no.) for a constituent of the opus number.

String Quartet No. 1 in F Major, op. 18, no. 1 Ludwig Van Beethoven
(1770–1827)

 The abbreviation op. (opus; plural opp.) is usually lowercased.

 The abbreviation designating a catalog of a particular composer’s works is always capitalized.

Baryton Trio No. 71 in A Major, Hob. XI: 71 Franz Joseph Haydn

(1732–1809)

BWV (Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis; Schmieder’s catalog) *abbreviated without a period

D. (Deutsch’s catalog of Schubert)
K. (Köchel’s catalog for Mozart)
(Jahn’s catalog of Weber)
Hob. (Hoboken’s catalog of Haydn)

 Titles assigned by the composer are in italics.

La gazza ladra Gioachino Rossini

(1792–1868)

 Works referred to by popular names are put in quotation marks and surrounded by parenthesis.

Symphony No. 41 in C Major (“Jupiter”) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

(1756–1791)

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 The terms major and minor should be capitalized when they appear in the title of the work. Within text
they will be lowercase.

Sonata No. 23 in F-Minor, op. 57 (“Appassionata”) Ludwig van Beethoven

(1770–1827)

 The formal title of a work that includes the key should be spelled out. Flat and sharp are preceded by a
hyphen and are spelled in lowercase.

Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, op. 55 (“Eroica”) Ludwig van Beethoven

(1770–1827)

 For works that have no catalog or opus number, use the date of composition (if known) in parenthesis.

Dynamic Motion (1916) Henry Cowell

(1897–1965)

PERFORMING ENTIRE WORK

 When performing an entire work list all movements (indented 5 spaces), but list the composer and
dates only once.

Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, BWV 1001 Johann Sebastian Bach

I. Adagio (1685–1750)
II. Fuga
III. Siciliana
IV. Presto

PERFORMING ONE OR MORE MOVEMENTS

 When performing one or more movements from an entire work list all movements (indented 5 spaces),
but list the composer and dates only once.

Carnaval, op. 9 Robert Schumann

II. Pierrot. Moderato (1810–1856)
III. Arlequin. Vivo
VI. Florestan. Passionato

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PERFORMING MULTIPLE WORKS FROM THE SAME ARTIST

 When performing multiple works from the same artist back-to-back, list the composer and dates for the
first piece only. List only the composer’s name for subsequent works.

Die Mainacht Johannes Brahms

(1833-1897)

Dein blaues Auge Johannes Brahms

Sonntag Johannes Brahms

PERFORMING WORK FROM OPERA, COLLECTION OR MUSICAL

 If a work is performed from an opera, musical, or collection, the title of the opera, musical or collection is
italicized.

Fantaisie Brillante on Themes from Bizet’s Carmen Francois Borne

(1840–1920)

 Use regular type within quotation marks for an aria drawn from opera or larger works. The name of the
larger work is italicized and indented 5 spaces.

 The abbreviation designating a catalog of a particular composer’s works is always capitalized

“Erbarme dich”
from St. Matthew’s Passion, BWV 244

“Et exultavit spiritus meus in Deo salutari meo”

from Magnificat, BWV 243a

“Somewhere”
from West Side Story

MORE THAN ONE ARIA FROM LARGER WORK

 If more than one aria is being performed from a larger work, the work should be listed first, italicized,
and preceded by the word ‘from.’ The individual songs are listed underneath in quotations, and
indented 5 spaces. See ‘Style Guide for Vocal Recital Programs’ for complete formatting.

From St. Matthew’s Passion, BWV 244

“Erbarme dich”
“Können tränen”
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 ARIA WITH A RECITATIVE

 If performing an aria with a recitative, the recitative title should be separated from the aria title with an
ellipsis (…). Include a space on each side of the ellipsis.

“Frondi tenere e belle … Ombra mai fu”

From Serse

CAPITALIZATION

 As the rules for capitalization vary between languages (e.g. in German only capitalize the first word and
all nouns) pay particular attention to the spellings, diacritical marks in the works cited.

FIRST PERFORMANCES

 For first performances, give the date of composition and the occasion. (First performance; first
American performance, first New York performance, etc.)

The Big Bang and Beyond (1985) Steven Mackey

(first American performance) (b. 1953)

4.2 COMPOSERS AND DATES

 Use full names for composers and list applicable birth and death dates in parentheses under
name. For living composers, indicate birth date with a “b.”.

 Note the dash specifically used to separate dates is an en dash.

To create on MAC: Option plus dash

To create on PC: <ALT> plus the numbers 0150 on the right-side number pad

 Composer names and dates should be aligned to the right side of the template, with the dates
below the composer’s name.
Johann Sebastian Bach
(1685–1750)
Lewis Spratlan
(b. 1940)

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4.3 ADAPTATIONS AND TRANSLATIONS
 If the work has been adapted or arranged, list the name and dates of the composer and the
adapter/arranger.

From Old American Songs Adapted by Aaron Copland

Long Time Ago (1900–1990)
Simpler Gifts

“Summertime” George Gershwin

from Porgy and Bess (1898–1937)
arr. By Julian Bream
(b. 1933)

5 TEXTS, TRANSLATIONS, AND PROGRAM NOTES

Please see your Major Practical Study instructor for any questions regarding texts and translations.

Program notes are required for M.Mus students only. Please see your advisor for more details.

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