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William Westney, pianist, holds two endowed positions at Texas Tech University – Paul
Whitfield Horn Distinguished Professor and Browning Artist-in-Residence. In 2008, Dr.
Westney received the highest teaching honor Texas Tech can bestow - the Chancellor's
Council Distinguished Teaching Award.
He was the top piano prize-winner of the Geneva International Competition, and
appeared thereafter in European television broadcasts and as soloist with such major
orchestras as l'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande and the Houston, San Antonio
and New Haven Symphonies. Dr. 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. He was awarded a Fulbright grant for study
in Italy, and while there 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"),
Taiwan, Korea, and a U.S. State Department tour of Italy. The New York Times
termed him a "formidable pianist" and the New York Post described his artistry
as "riveting."
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, conference presenter, and author, William Westney
has been honored many times with teaching awards, including the Yale School of Music
Alumni Association's prestigious "Certificate of Merit", for his distinctive and
innovative contributions to the teaching of musical performance. As a grantee in
the U.S. State Department's Fulbright "Senior Specialist" program (Council for
International Exchange of Scholars), he traveled in November 2006 to Korea and
China for teaching residencies. During 2009-10 Dr. Westney will divide his time
between Texas and Scandinavia, having been named the Hans Christian Andersen Guest
Professor at the University of Southern Denmark (Odense).
Dr. 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), Tanglewood Institute, Royal College of Music (London), Universität
für Musik und darstellende Kunst (Vienna), Central Conservatory (Beijing) and
Victorian College of the Arts (Melbourne).
Schirmer Performance Editions recently released his edition, and CD recording,
of piano etudes by Stephen Heller. In 2003 Amadeus Press published William
Westney’s first book, THE PERFECT WRONG NOTE, 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," and Clavier magazine described
him as a "master teacher with openhearted insights." For more information, see his
website, www.williamwestney.com.
Piano, Dimensions of Performance, Dynamics of Studio Teaching, Collaborative Techniques for Pianists
William Westney's academic curriculum vitae
To contact William Westney, email william.westney@ttu.edu.
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