 | |
| Author | Anna Goldsworthy |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Subject | Classical music |
| Genre | Autobiography, music |
| Publisher | Black Inc |
Publication date | 2009 |
| Publication place | Australia, United States |
| Media type | Hardcover, paperback, audiobook, e-book |
| ISBN | 978-0-312-64628-8 |
| 786.2 GOL | |
Piano Lessons is a 2009 award-winning non-fiction book by Australian classical pianist Anna Goldsworthy.
In Piano Lessons, Goldsworthy documents her piano study from a young age under the Russian emigre Eleonora Sivan.
Goldsworthy was nine years old when she met Eleonora Sivan, a charismatic Russian émigré and world-class pianist who became her piano teacher. Piano Lessons documents what Sivan brought to Goldsworthy's lessons: a love of music, a respect for life, a generous spirit and the courage to embrace a musical life. [1] [2] [3]
Originally published in Australia in October 2009 by Black Inc, the US rights were sold to American publisher St. Martin's Press. [4]
The United States Poet Laureate, Philip Levine, said of Piano Lessons, "I have never read a better depiction of a great mentor and of how true learning takes place. Every teacher of anything should read this book. Twice." [5]
The book was received positively by Australian critics. [6]
James Kenny, writing in the Australian Literary Review , called Piano Lessons a "wonderful story, elegantly told". [7]
Jo Case, writing in The Age , said that it was "multi-layered, rich with meditations on identity, creativity, ambition and achievement; deeply felt without a hint of sentimentality. This impressive debut will surely mark Anna Goldsworthy's arrival as an Australian writer to be reckoned with." [8]
Piano Lessons was shortlisted for a number of awards, including best non-fiction at the New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards [9] [10] and the 2010 Australian Book Industry Awards, [11] and Goldsworthy won Newcomer of the Year at these awards. [12] [13] [14]
The film rights to the book were sold to director Ana Kokkinos in 2010. [15]
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