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William Westney
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Pianist WILLIAM WESTNEY was the
top piano prize-winner of the Geneva International Competition, and he appeared
thereafter as soloist with such major orchestras as l'Orchestre de la Suisse
Romande and the Houston, San Antonio and New Haven Symphonies. Westney holds
a Bachelor of Arts degree from Queens College in New York and a Masters
and Doctorate in performance from Yale University, all with highest honors.
During his study in Italy under a Fulbright grant he was the only American
winner in auditions held by Radiotelevisione Italiana. His solo recital
appearances include New York's Lincoln Center, the National Gallery and
Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C., St. John's Smith Square in London,
National Public Radio ("Performance Today"), and a U.S. State
Department tour of Italy. |
Critics have praised his recordings of solo and chamber works for CRI and Musical
Heritage Society, and Newsweek magazine selected his CRI recording of Leo Ornstein's
works as one of its "Ten Best American Music Recordings" of the year.
An internationally noted educator, William Westney holds two endowed positions
at Texas Tech University – Paul Whitfield Horn Distinguished Professor
and Browning Artist-in-Residence – and has been honored many times with
teaching awards, including the Yale School of Music Alumni Association's prestigious
"Certificate of Merit." As a grantee in the U.S. State Department's
Fulbright "Senior Specialist" program (Council for International Exchange
of Scholars), he will travel in November 2006 to Korea and China for teaching
residencies.
Mr. Westney's unique “Un-Master Class” performance workshops were
described as "fascinating" in a featured New York Times article. They
are increasingly in demand in the U.S. and abroad, having been held at such
prominent centers as the Aspen School, Peabody Conservatory, Kennedy Center,
Royal Conservatory (Toronto), Cleveland Institute, Tanglewood Institute, Royal
College of Music (London), Universität für Musik und darstellende
Kunst (Vienna), and the Juilliard School.
Amadeus Press published William Westney’s first book, THE PERFECT WRONG
NOTE, in Fall 2003 to critical acclaim. Now in its second printing, it is a
“well-thought-out approach to music instruction to which many aspire,
but which few attain” according to the Library Journal, and American Record
Guide described it as “refreshing and rewarding.” Schirmer Performance
Editions released Dr. Westney's edition, and CD recording, of piano etudes by
Stephen Heller in October 2005.
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William Westney
