Music Makers

Hotchkiss, an amateur singer, provides tips for fellow amateurs singing in groups, as well as a brief 14-page history of choral music from pre-Gregorian chant to contemporary popular music. He introduces the basics of breathing, diction, rhythm, reading music, dynamics, rehearsals and practicing, and types of singing groups from choirs to barbershop quartets. There is no index, and the bibliography is a very brief list of mainly books on the history of music. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)