Piano Lessons (book) explained

Piano Lessons
Country:Australia, United States
Language:English
Subject:Classical music
Genre:Autobiography, music
Publisher:Black Inc
Release Date:2009
Media Type:Hardcover, paperback, audiobook, e-book
Isbn:978-0-312-64628-8
Dewey: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.

Synopsis

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]

Publication

Originally published in Australia in October 2009 by Black Inc, the US rights were sold to American publisher St. Martin's Press.[4]

Critical reception

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]

Awards

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]

Adaptations

The film rights to the book were sold to director Ana Kokkinos in 2010.[15]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Hyles . Claudia . Mestra . . November 2009 . 9 November 2023 . subscription . 9 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231109073643/https://www.australianbookreview.com.au/abr-online/archive/2009/287-november-2009-no-316/11031-claudia-hyles-reviews-piano-lessons-by-anna-goldsworthy . live .
  2. Web site: Piano Lessons (2009), by Anna Goldsworthy . ANZ LitLovers LitBlog . 17 October 2009 . 9 November 2023 . 9 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231109071849/https://anzlitlovers.com/2009/10/18/piano-lessons-2009-by-anna-goldsworthy/ . live .
  3. Web site: Anna Goldsworthy Interview . 2010-08-14 . readings.com.au . 15 June 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100615045606/http://www.readings.com.au/interview/anna-goldsworthy . live .
  4. Web site: Macmillan: Piano Lessons . 2010-08-14 . macmillan.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20100903190206/http://us.macmillan.com/pianolessons . 3 September 2010 . dead .
  5. News: Levine . Philip . A Year in Reading: Philip Levine . 14 June 2024 . The Millions . 8 December 2011 . en . 30 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240530062538/https://themillions.com/2011/12/a-year-in-reading-philip-levine.html . live .
  6. Web site: Reviews . 2010-08-14 . annagoldsworthy.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100724183829/http://www.annagoldsworthy.com/reviews.html . 24 July 2010 .
  7. James . Kenny . Anna Goldsworthy's Piano Lessons . Australian Literary Review . 82 . 3 . 81–82 . October 2009.
  8. Jo . Case . Jo Case . Piano Lessons . The Age . 6 November 2009 . 49.
  9. Web site: BREAKING NEWS: 2010 NSW Premier's Literary Awards Shortlists . . 8 April 2010 . 14 November 2023 . 26 February 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210226234844/https://www.booktopia.com.au/blog/2010/04/08/breaking-news-2010-nsw-premiers-literary-awards-shortlists/ . live .
  10. Web site: 2010 New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards. 7 April 2010. NSW Government. 14 November 2023. 14 November 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231114092909/https://entree-media.records.nsw.gov.au/pairtree/acb56d6a7eba4f389f7081a5b558bebc/cf/9d/ec/47/96/3d/49/02/ba/3d/40/b0/7c/52/3a/d2/0/100407-Premiers-Literary-Awards.pdf. live.
  11. Web site: Book awards: Australian Book Industry Awards . LibraryThing.com . 14 November 2023 . 14 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231114094126/https://www.librarything.com/bookaward/Australian+Book+Industry+Awards . live .
  12. Web site: Piano Lessons by Anna Goldsworthy . Black Inc. . 6 March 2023 . 6 November 2023 . 6 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231106052358/https://www.blackincbooks.com.au/books/piano-lessons . live .
  13. Web site: Middlemiss . Perry . 2010 Australian Book Industry Award Winners . Perry Middlemiss's Home Page . 20 July 2010 . 14 November 2023 . 14 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231114094124/http://www.middlemiss.org/matilda/2010/07/2010-australian-book-industry-award-winners.html . live .
  14. Goldsworthy graduates leave their mark. Lumen. University of Adelaide. Winter 2011. Robyn. Mills. 14 November 2023. 14 November 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231114025554/https://www.adelaide.edu.au/lumen/issues/45341/news45701.html. live.
  15. Web site: Development approvals . . 16 March 2018 . 14 November 2023 . 14 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231114043310/https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/funding-and-support/feature-films/funding-approvals/in-the-archive/development-approvals/2010 . live .

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