Growing Your Musician: A Practical Guide for Band and Orchestra Parents

This book, which has been published in partnership with the MENC: The National Association for Music Education, guides parents with children who are in bands and orchestras on how to help them develop musically. It covers how to choose an instrument, practicing, and building skills, with discussion of buying versus renting an instrument, selecting the most appropriate one for the student, the best ways to practice (with a chapter aimed at the student), tone and intonation, tempo and rhythm, musicality, and studying music in college. There is no index. Bancroft is the music director for the El Segundo School District in California. Annotation c2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Tony Bancroft began his instrumental music career at age eleven, playing tuba in middle school band. He continued to pursue his love of music into adulthood, earning a bachelor's degree in music from UCLA and a master's degree in music from Yale University. Performances at Carnegie Hall and at music festivals around the world are among the highlights of his musical career. He currently serves as the music director for the El Segundo Unified School District in California, and the city has honored him with four public commendations. In 2003, he was selected as an alternate for a Fulbright Teaching Scholarship and was a nominee for the Music Center of Los Angeles County's prestigious Bravo Award.