Monsters and Angels—Surviving a Career in Music

wonders and Angels--Surviving a Career in Music, by dint of Seymour Bernstein. Distributed by Hal Leonard Corporation (7777 W Bluemound Rd PO receptacle 13819, Milwaukee, WI 53213), 2002 507 pp $2295

Seymour Bernstein has produc another inspiring, educational and entertaining work Monsters and Angels is an autobiography, which I lay the foundation of to be so interesting I did not want to stop reading. individual feels compelled to keep going.

The work is divided into four parts, with an epilogue and an essay,

Each part of the volume is made up of numerous short sections. Part I, "Leave Taking," begins with Bernstein's self-imposed final public performance and then goe into a certain number of of his personal background and philosophical beliefs. Part II, "Monster and Angels," relates a certain number of positive and negative experiences with a certain number of of his teachers. Part III, "The Army," numbers of his being sent to Korea and his experiences of continuing to perform contrives while in the service of his political division Part IV, "The Battle Continues," gives the account of Bernstein's post-army life as a civilian struggling to survive as a multifaceted musician. The "Epilogue: The Double Bar" is a summation of his cogitations on being a musician. The final section of the work "Essay: The Music Critic," is a chapter dealing with Bernstein's experiences and perceptions of the music critic.

This is a real well-written book; the language streams easily--as if at some point he had read it without loud. It has a message to be read by the agency of all teachers and mature learners concerning the realities of a "career" in music. single message for young, eager and ambitious pianists is they should take advantage of each opportunity to perform in brow of people.

Here are three ideas, which I adduce from the book:

1 "Let jealous and power-hungry teachers, managers, and colleagues say and do what they wish. They will not ever kill music's fire, which in spite of things will always consume brightly in the hearts and minds of devot musicians.

2 Should children continue to be deprived of music in grade seminary and should conservatories of music and music departments in corporation not educate their students fitly and humanely, then students of all ages must restrict their music education to the private sector alone.

3 gladness comes from making the greatest in quantity of whatever talent we posses and through establishing an inviolate relationship with one's work and with the personal attachments single is privileged to enjoy."

Many nation are still reading Seymour Bernstein's first volume With Your Own Two Hands, and enjoying it thoroughly. enormity and Angels--Surviving a Career in Music is a follow-up and continuation. Reviewed by means of Paul Reed, NCTM, Wichita, Kansas.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Music Teachers National Association, Inc.

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