Barbara A. Somervill - Musician

Louis Armstrong (19011971) was one of the most influential jazz artists of all time. He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and learned to play the cornet as a teenager. By the time he was 25, he had switched to trumpet. Later, he also became known as a singer.

Ludwig van Beethoven (17701827) is thought by many to be the greatest composer in the history of classical music. He was born in Germany and started playing and composing music as a child.

Michael Jackson (19582009) was a pop star by the time he was 12 years old. He began his career as the lead singer of the Jackson 5. He went on to become the most successful musician in the world, with solo albums such as Off the Wall and Thriller.

Beyonc Knowles (1981) first made it big as the lead singer of the R&B group Destinys Child. She left the group and released her first solo album in 2003. It became a huge hit. Each one of her albums has sold millions of copies. In 2010, she won a record six Grammy awards for her album I Am Sasha Fierce and its hit song Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).

Taylor Swift (1989) is one of todays most successful pop singers. She learned to play guitar when she was 12 years old and soon began writing songs. She released her first album when she was just 16. In 2010, she became the youngest artist ever to win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.

Hank Williams (19231953) was the first country musician to become widely popular. He started playing guitar when he was 8 years old and made his first radio appearance when he was 13. He was known for his unique voice and emotional lyrics. More than 30 of his songs were top-10 hits.

audition (aw-DIH-shuhn) a performance that a musician gives in the hopes of winning a job

Broadway (BRAWD-way) a street in New York City that is the center of a world-famous theater district

composer (kuhm-POH-zur) person who writes music

conductor (kuhn-DUHK-tur) person who plans a performance and leads a band or orchestra

gigs (GIGZ) performing jobs

grant (GRANT) money given by a government or organization to fund new art projects

performance (pur-FOR-muhnss) a musical event

rehearsal (ri-HUR-suhl) a practice session that occurs before a performance

scales (SKAYLZ) series of notes within a range of music that sound good together

unions (YOON-yuhnz) organizations of employees that bargain with employers for benefits and pay requirements

BOOKS

Ardley, Neil. A Young Persons Guide to Music. New York: DK Publishing, 2005.

Ball, Heather. Magnificent Women in Music. Toronto, Ontario: Second Story Press, 2006.

Nathan, Amy. The Young Musicians Survival Guide: Tips from Teens and Pros. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008.

Rauf, Don, and Monique Vescia. Pop Musician. New York: Ferguson, 2008.

WEB SITES

Dallas Symphony OrchestraDSO Kids

www.dsokids.com/

Play games and learn more about music and musicians.

Library of Congress Performing Arts encyclopedia

www.loc.gov/performingarts/index.html

Learn about many different kinds of music and the musicians who created it.

National Museum of American HistoryMusic in the Museum

americanhistory.si.edu/collections/music.cfm

Read about the history of music and musical instruments in America.

Armstrong, Louis,

auditions,

Beethoven, Ludwig van,

business practices,

churches,

competition,

composers,

conductors,

costs,

demand,

education,

Fisher, Michael J. T.,

George-Hinnant, Tasha,

Governors Schools for the Arts,

instruments,

Internet,

Jackson, Michael,

jingles,

jobs,

Knowles, Beyonc,

military bands,

music styles,

music therapy,

performances,

practice,

radio,

recordings,

rehearsals,

rejections,

salaries,

self-employment,

singers,

Smith, Elliott,

software,

Swift, Taylor,

technology,

travel,

unions,

Voices of Destiny choir,

Williams, Hank,

Barbara Somervill writes books about science, careers, and people. She loves listening to music but admits that she cannot play an instrument or sing a note. As a young woman, she worked backstage for a theater company and loved working on the musicals. Working with talented musicians taught me how much work is involved in putting a show together, she says. When the conductor raises his baton and the orchestra plays the overture, there is a hum of excitement in the air. Theres nothing quite like it.

CHAPTER ONE

A DAY AT WORK

A musician is anyone who makes music. That person can be a rock guitarist, an opera singer, a piano teacher, a composer, or a conductor. Musicians can play pianos or piccolos. They may sing hymns in a church or Take Me Out to the Ball game in a ballpark. Some musicians become stars and make millions of dollars. Most do not. But they do work in a variety of rewarding musical jobs. They play because music is the thing they love most. Music is not just a living. It is a life.

Tasha George-Hinnant runs through her finger exercises at the piano. Scales come first. She plays with her left hand, then her right hand, and then both hands together. Finger and hand strength are important for professional pianists. Tasha is a recent college graduate and a professional musician. She has years of experience playing piano. But she still takes lessons and practices often. Practice, she says, is less about the time you spend and more about consistency and quality.

Tashas teacher is known around the world. He is helping her prepare a piece for an audition. Tasha hopes the audition will win her a place in graduate school, where she wants to get a masters degree in performance piano. Tasha also teaches private piano lessons to children. Teaching private lessons is a musicians bread and butter, she says. Lesson fees pay the bills.

21ST CENTURY CONTENT

Music therapy uses music to improve the mental and physical health of patients. People have been using it for hundreds of years. It has recently become popular around the world, though. Research shows that music helps people heal faster, manage stress, and relax. Music therapists work with people who have conditions such as Alzheimers disease, cancer, and autism. Music increases brain activity, reduces heart rates, and eases breathing. Professional music therapists must study both music and psychology.