Making Music and Having a Blast!: A Guide for All Music Students

by Bonnie Blanchard, Cynthia B. Acree

In her follow-up to Making Music and Enriching A Guide for All Music Teachers, Bonnie Blanchard offers students a set of tools for their musical lives that will help them stay engaged, even during the challenging times in their musical development. Blanchard discusses issues such as finding an instructor, selecting the right instrument, and choosing a college or conservatory. The book includes lessons on music theory and history as well as a guide to finding additional materials in print and online. Blanchard's strategies for making practice productive and preparing for auditions are useful tips students can return to again and again.

472 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Jordan Kinsey · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not think I was EVER going to finish this. It was like purgatory. Get this...this book was intended for high school audiences. It is FIFTY chapters long. (413 pages of prose). I'm not a writer, but I think it's pretty safe to say that if you're writing a music book geared toward teenagers, rule one would be DON'T MAKE IT FIFTY CHAPTERS.

The worst part was that in order to get to fifty chapters, she had to repeat herself. She had to repeat herself A LOT.

All that being said, there were SOME valuable things in the book, and I will probably copy a chapter or two to give to students as needs arise. It will be handy to have concise chapters on specific subjects at those times.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really loved this book - it was engaging and full of helpful information. I would have really appreciated this book when I was back in high school and considering a degree in music performance. If you know a student(s) in that position, do them a favor and recommend they read this book! A side note: the first book in this series is also excellent and should be required reading for anyone considering a career as a teacher (not just a music teacher).