In One Ear and Out the Other: Antonia Brico and Her Amazingly Musical Life (Amazing Women)

More than anything, Antonia Brico (1902–1989) wanted to be the professional conductor of an established orchestra. Though her dream was stymied by systemic sexism in the classical music world (she finished her career giving piano lessons and conducting a semiprofessional orchestra), her achievements inspired the next generation of women conductors. Worthey, a musician who played in the Brico Symphony under the figure, infuses this straightforward telling of Brico’s life with passion, emphasizing her persistence, though the titular phrase’s refrain becomes repetitive: “She decided to let the discouraging words go in one ear and out the other.” Wallace combines sensitive watercolor, ink, pen, and cut-paper collage in illustrations that convey Brico’s dauntless determination. Includes a timeline and capsule biographies of three current women conductors and three women trailblazers in classical music and conducting. Ages 7–11. (Oct.)