I don't want students to be forced to go to my recital.

Just a bit of background in case people aren't familiar about how music degrees work in colleges:

Everyone is required to do at least one recital in order to graduate with a degree. Most of the time, the other people in their studio are forced to go to said recital(s) in order to not receive a failing grade.

I think this is wrong in so many ways and I really want to ask that my upcoming master's recital not be required for other people to attend. If they still want to attend, that's fine. Otherwise, I'm not sure if I can have a clear conscience.

I'm just not sure how to ask without my professor getting mad at me or something. I feel like forcing people to go to my recital will make people like me even less (and to be honest, the reason they dislike me is partly if not mostly his fault). And while I don't care what they think, networking is important and it's better to have more friends than enemies if you want to be successful. And by "friends", I mean "friendly colleagues". There are no real "friends" in college (or life, for that matter), at least not in a competitive field.

I don't know if people in other fields have to go through anything like this, but does anyone have any thoughts?

I can understand how you feel, even though I wasn't a music major. Surely, these folks wouldn't blame you when they have to attend, since it is a requirement.

I can imagine there is a lot of competition among the students, but alas, that's the way it goes in a competitive field like this one. If they don't like you simply because of your talent, then you can't help that.

That's my take on it, anyway.

I imagine the requirement is there, not for any social reason but as part of your education; seeing what others are doing and thinking about it, it's not like those in music get that opportunity very often, being so focused on one's own studies? It's always a good idea to know what is happening around us, what others are working on and how what we are working on might fit?

Since you do not care about what the others think about you, I would not worry about their coming or not; that too is their problem; if they don't want to attend they could just as easily, probably more easily, petition not to go as you could to change the school's rules and not make attendance mandatory. Look at it from the school's point of view; a single person wanting to make a change that big could look pretty arrogant? You aren't in charge of their rules.