An enlightening resource that offers valuable information for aspiring music professionals.
A concise guide with advice to readers who are curious about careers in music.
Snyder profiles six career paths that young people with a passion for music may not have considered: background singer, booking agent, DJ, music teacher, music therapist, and session musician. Each chapter describes the profession, outlining the responsibilities, number of jobs, median pay, necessary education, ideal personal qualities, typical work settings, and future job outlook. The author includes quotes from professionals who offer advice, discuss their career paths, and describe a typical workday. Former American Idol contestant Alex Trugman explains that background singers must be able to sight-read music, even though lead singers sometimes cannot. Readers may be surprised to learn about the ongoing expenses DJs have to cover out of their payments for gigs, from transportation to software subscriptions. Music therapists share moving stories of helping premature babies and people who are terminally ill. Each chapter closes with additional resources, such as websites for trade associations and industry directories. The engaging style and clear, concise language make this work accessible to a wide range of readers. The real-life examples shed light on the people behind the statistics, balancing informative content with engaging storytelling and offering valuable insights into the music industry. Stock photos show racially diverse people at work.
An enlightening resource that offers valuable information for aspiring music professionals. (source notes, interview with a booking agent, other jobs in music, index, picture credits) (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781678207946
Page Count: 64
Publisher: ReferencePoint Press
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Small but mighty necessary reading.
A miniature manifesto for radical queer acceptance that weaves together the personal and political.
Eli, a cis gay white Jewish man, uses his own identities and experiences to frame and acknowledge his perspective. In the prologue, Eli compares the global Jewish community to the global queer community, noting, “We don’t always get it right, but the importance of showing up for other Jews has been carved into the DNA of what it means to be Jewish. It is my dream that queer people develop the same ideology—what I like to call a Global Queer Conscience.” He details his own isolating experiences as a queer adolescent in an Orthodox Jewish community and reflects on how he and so many others would have benefitted from a robust and supportive queer community. The rest of the book outlines 10 principles based on the belief that an expectation of mutual care and concern across various other dimensions of identity can be integrated into queer community values. Eli’s prose is clear, straightforward, and powerful. While he makes some choices that may be divisive—for example, using the initialism LGBTQIAA+ which includes “ally”—he always makes clear those are his personal choices and that the language is ever evolving.
Small but mighty necessary reading. (resources) (Nonfiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 2, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-09368-9
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
Brief yet inspirational, this story will galvanize youth to use their voices for change.
Testa’s connection to and respect for nature compelled her to begin championing animal causes at the age of 10, and this desire to have an impact later propelled her to dedicate her life to fighting plastic pollution. Starting with the history of plastic and how it’s produced, Testa acknowledges the benefits of plastics for humanity but also the many ways it harms our planet. Instead of relying on recycling—which is both insufficient and ineffective—she urges readers to follow two additional R’s: “refuse” and “raise awareness.” Readers are encouraged to do their part, starting with small things like refusing to use plastic straws and water bottles and eventually working up to using their voices to influence business and policy change. In the process, she highlights other youth advocates working toward the same cause. Short chapters include personal examples, such as observations of plastic pollution in Mauritius, her maternal grandparents’ birthplace. Testa makes her case not only against plastic pollution, but also for the work she’s done, resulting in something of a college-admissions–essay tone. Nevertheless, the first-person accounts paired with science will have an impact on readers. Unfortunately, no sources are cited and the lack of backmatter is a missed opportunity.
Brief yet inspirational, this story will galvanize youth to use their voices for change. (Nonfiction. 12-18)Pub Date: Oct. 13, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-22333-8
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2020
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