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Despite the obvious links between the nature and characteristics of musicians' careers and the relevance for professional work of the knowledge and skills gained during initial music training, most studies have examined these topics separately (Mills, 2005; Gembris, 2006; Creech et al., 2008). In Understanding the Classical Music Profession: The Past, the Present and Strategies for the Future, Dawn Bennett succeeds in bridging this gap in the literature by asking, 'What are the characteristics of a career in music, and how can classical musicians achieve sustainable professional practice?' The outcome represents a timely investigation into classically trained musicians' skills and attributes required to develop and sustain their careers, the distribution of the variety of roles they actually take on, the environment in which they work, and the relevance of existing education and training (p. 5). The message across all seven chapters is clear: 'Success' should be measured on the basis of 'the achievement of a sustainable career within which intrinsic satisfaction is found and self-identity established' (p. 3), rather than on a 'preconceived hierarchy of roles' (p. 123).
While for the most part the study is situated within the Australian cultural industries and music training institutions, much of it resonates strongly with the international context of professional music training, and the book is written in an authoritative but approachable style. The opening chapter, 'What Lies Ahead', sets out the rationale behind this mixed methods study, describing the conceptual and methodological frameworks and the research method. Bennett wisely avoids making generalisations from the relatively small sample of participants, aiming rather to focus on musicians' 'experiences' as the 'best source of information' (p. 10)....