Meet the Musicians: From Prodigies (or Not) to Pros - Hardcover

Nathan, Amy

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 080507743X ISBN 13: 9780805077438

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), 2006

Synopsis

The musicians of the New York Philharmonic were kids once too!

How does a kid who just wants to play baseball make the transition to creating beautiful music?

Musicians from many different sections of the New York Philharmonic share how they became involved in music as kids and how their careers have progressed since then. They also have some helpful advice, such as
• break down pieces you're learning into small, reachable goals
• play it as beautifully as you can, even if it's just a scale
• make up words to go with the melody you're studying to learn it faster

With exclusive interviews, helpful hints, and a kid-friendly approach, this book is an all-access guide to the world of classical music.

Meet the Musicians is a 2007 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

About this title

About the Author

Amy Nathan is the award-winning author of several books, including The Young Musician's Survival Guide. She lives in Upstate New York

Reviews

Grade 5-10 This collection of interviews with 15 musicians in the New York Philharmonic presents an in-depth look at what it takes to become a professional musician. Each biographical sketch acquaints readers with the personality of the performer and shows that these talented people are well rounded with interests that include sports and other hobbies. The focus throughout is on how they chose their instruments and became proficient enough to become part of this world-renowned orchestra. Many of them did not select their instrument until they were in their teens, and several began on a different instrument from the one that ultimately became their career choice. Three boxed sections accompany each interview, offering insight into the workings of the instrument, practice tips, and concert watch, in which readers are advised about things to look for during a performance. Mediocre-quality black-and-white snapshots are scattered throughout. A final chapter on teamwork sheds light on the idiosyncrasies of playing in an orchestra. This title will appeal to a select audience, but it offers valuable information and encouragement to those for whom music performance holds appeal. Renee Steinberg, formerly at Fieldstone Middle School, Montvale, NJ
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gr. 5-8. Soloists may be classical music's most prominent role models, but this excellent book offers a glimpse of a more common destiny for young musicians: employment in a professional symphony. Nathan, following up The Young Musician's Survival Guide (2000), interviewed 13 of the New York Philharmonic's members, representing 11 different instruments, and spun their articulate comments into brief, readable profiles, supplemented by various sidebars--among them, an invaluable feature outlining pros and cons of individual instruments (it's easy for a beginner to coax a sound from a trombone, but few opportunities for solos arise). The artists' diverse career paths show that few rules apply: while a few were typical prodigies, most mourned sacrificed hobbies, often dreaded practice, and struggled with uncertainty. Though the title's format is somewhat drab, with childhood and current photos reproduced in grainy black and white, the practical advice mixed with inspirational words strikes just the right note for children at many different stages in their musical education. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
• Publication date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 080507743X
• ISBN 13: 9780805077438
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 176