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9781954041035

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Music educator, pianist and mother Charlene Ryan masterfully weaves a heartfelt tale of young Katherine Keyes as she experiences the trials and tribulations of pursuing her musical passion in the captivating book, Katherine Lost. Throughout twenty-plus chapters of this engaging story, Katherine explores and processes emotions commonly experienced (though often unspoken) by young musicians as they learn, engage with and perform music. By sharing the inner thoughts of sixth-grade pianist Katherine, the book touches upon themes of doubt, longing, fear, failure, and dealing with the memory slips, performance anxiety and grief often associated with perfectionism. Fortunately, Katherine experiences these emotions alongside a backdrop of supportive family, music teachers and friends which allows her to pursue new creative opportunities during a significant transition period in her young life. Indeed, throughout her journey, Katherine learns to appreciate the process of making music with others, including how to listen, learn, collaborate and share music through performance. The story highlights the power of music to bring together diverse groups of people and the value of engaging in different genres of music and creative play. Katherine Lost will resonate with budding, young, creative artists. It is, also, a highly recommended read for precollege music teachers as the carefully crafted story provides insight into a young person's joy, fears and unspoken anxieties about music, and it sheds light on meaningful ways in which adolescents might engage in music making beyond the private lesson. -Dr. Pamela D. Pike, Herndon Spillman Professor of Piano Pedagogy Louisiana State University Editor-in-Chief/Chief Content Director, Piano Magazine: Clavier Companion Author, Dynamic Group-Piano Teaching Katherine Lost is a wonderful, descriptive narrative that will be so accessible and appealing to young musicians. Even non-musicians in the middle-school age category will delight in reading how the protagonist Katherine overcame her struggles. The relatable characters that Charlene Ryan so carefully crafted help bring to life the typical feelings and challenges that are associated with performing. An enjoyable story like this one will help youngsters to understand they are not alone - that many others experience the same anxieties they face. Through the experiences of the lead character, Katherine, readers will also be gently introduced to strategies they can use to help manage performance anxiety. They will also be reminded of the support they can receive from family, friends and teachers. This book can serve as a fantastic resource for music students and their instructors. -Dr. Diana Dumlavwalla, Associate Professor of Piano Pedagogy Florida State University President-Elect, Florida State Music Teachers Association

Author Information

Charlene A. Ryan is a musician, painter, writer, and mom. She has spent most of her life behind an instrument and in front of an audience of one kind or another. Dr. Ryan, as she is known by many, is also a professor of music education who spends her days working with young musicians and their teachers. Her award-winning book, Building Strong Music Programs, has been used widely in teacher education programs across North America. Dr. Ryan has published extensively in academic journals on the performance experiences and anxieties of children and adolescents.

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