Eros at the Piano

"Bold and insightful." -Anthony Tommasini, former chief classical music critic, The New York Times
A new book by William Westney, author of the bestselling The Perfect Wrong Note, takes a fresh and creative look at the human dimension of classical music-making and why it matters more than ever in the contemporary world.
Eros at the Piano takes readers on a remarkable journey, combining intellectual vigor with down-to-earth wisdom for performers, teachers, and students. Using a conversational tone and rich with cross-disciplinary insight, Westney weaves together the philosophical concept of Eros with the art and practice of classical musicians. Why Eros? Eros was the ancient Greek god not only of love and sensuality but of all human creativity and interconnectedness, symbolizing a great realm of feeling and of wordless understanding.
It has always been a challenge to capture in words the ineffable experience of music. Eros offers a useful concept, a way to refer to that embodied realm of knowing, and it can inspire virtually every aspect of musical life: practicing, teaching, technique and connecting with audiences. Westney draws upon a lifetime as concert artist and educator to bring to life a refreshing vision of classical music today.

William Westney is author of The Perfect Wrong Note: Learning to Trust Your Musical Self, an international bestseller which has become a pedagogical classic. He personifies a rare combination of abilities, having achieved distinction as concert artist, author, and award-winning educator. Winner of numerous performance prizes, most notably the Geneva International Competition, he has concertized on four continents. Westney's trailblazing performance workshop "The Un-Master Class"® was profiled in a New York Times article and has been given at conservatories around the world. Westney is Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Texas Tech University.

Acknowledgements
Introduction
Overview
Chapter 1: Tone
Chapter 2: Exploring Eros
Chapter 3: Logos, Eros and the Integrated Musician
Chapter 4: Dissolving Boundaries
Chapter 5: Luxuriant Technique
Chapter 6: Practicing: The Pleasure of Process
Chapter 7: Performing: Joining the Flow
Chapter 8: The Teaching Connection
Chapter 9: Research: The "Enjoyment Mode"
Chapter 10: Love, Energy and Transformation
Bibliography
Index
About the Author