Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

  • Apple
  • Android
  • Windows Phone
  • Android

To get the free app, enter your email address or mobile phone number.
Download to your computer
Kindle Cloud Reader
Facebook Twitter Pinterest <Embed>

Sorry, there was a problem.

There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Please try again.

Sorry, there was a problem.

List unavailable.
Have one to sell? Sell on Amazon
Flip to back Flip to front
Listen Playing... Paused   You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition.
Learn more
See all 2 images

Piano Lessons: A Memoir Hardcover – October 12, 2010

by
Anna Goldsworthy (Author)
› Visit Amazon's Anna Goldsworthy Page
Find all the books, read about the author, and more.
See search results for this author
Are you an author? Learn about Author Central
Anna Goldsworthy (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars 25 customer reviews
See all 9 formats and editions Hide other formats and editions
Price
New from Used from
Kindle
"Please retry"
$6.75
— —
Hardcover
"Please retry"
—
$29.37 $3.60
Paperback
"Please retry"
—
— $29.00
Audible, Unabridged
"Please retry"
$0.00
Free with your Audible trial
MP3 CD, Audiobook, MP3 Audio, Unabridged
"Please retry"
$2.83
$2.83 $3.99
Noteworthy biographies and memoirs
Disrupted: My Misadventure in the Start-Up Bubble
Disrupted: My Misadventure in the Start-Up Bubble
Disrupted: My Misadventure in the Start-Up Bubble

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
This shopping feature will continue to load items. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading.
Back
  1. The Piano Shop on the Left Bank: Discovering a Forgotten Passion in a Paris Atelier
    Thad Carhart
    4.4 out of 5 stars 165
    Paperback
    $12.34 Prime
  2. Grand Obsession: A Piano Odyssey
    Perri Knize
    4.5 out of 5 stars 123
    Paperback
    $15.27 Prime
  3. Playing the Piano for Pleasure: The Classic Guide to Improving Skills Through Practice and Discipline
    Charles Cooke
    4.4 out of 5 stars 43
    Paperback
    $13.09 Prime
  4. Note by Note: A Celebration of the Piano Lesson
    Tricia Tunstall
    4.8 out of 5 stars 22
    Paperback
    $15.60 Prime
  5. The Secret Piano: From Mao's Labor Camps to Bach's Goldberg Variations
    Zhu Xiao-Mei
    4.3 out of 5 stars 506
    Paperback
    $10.69 Prime
  6. Piano Lessons: Music, Love, and True Adventures
    Noah Adams
    4.0 out of 5 stars 68
    Paperback
    $12.67 Prime
Next

Customers Viewing This Page May Be Interested In These Sponsored Links

  (What's this?)
null
NO_CONTENT_IN_FEATURE

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 256 pages
  • Publisher: St. Martin's Press; First Edition edition (October 12, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0312646283
  • ISBN-13: 978-0312646288
  • Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 1 x 8.6 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #762,680 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Customers Viewing This Page May Be Interested In These Sponsored Links

  (What's this?)
null

Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsThe perfect book for people who love music..
By Unruly Louise on October 16, 2010
Format: Hardcover
This is a tender memoir from one of Australia's most respected pianists. It takes the reader through Anna's childhood as a perfectionist over-achiever, ultimately humbled by the music she learns to evoke, and guided by the relationship she develops with her teacher, the effervescent dynamo, unconventional and evocative Elanora.

Through the novel, Anna grows to more fully understand the passions and of classical music, as their composers hover like still-present apparitions, their stories influencing the music she creates.

This book would be a wonderful read for those passionate about classical music, or those considering encouraging their children into a similar direction. It is also a great read for those people like me, who don't understand the history and nuances of classical music, but look upon those who do as possessing a secret language or gift of knowledge that is beautiful to catch glimpses of.
1 Comment 11 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
5.0 out of 5 starsFascinating, entertaining read about a girl who chose to be a concert pianist.
By James G. Henderson on November 29, 2010
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
I'm 38, have played piano for 1.5 years, and have a daughter in piano lessons.

I enjoyed reading this book about a gifted girl who was told she'd never be a concert pianist.

Through a fabulous teacher, supportive parents, and her own hard work she achieved her dreams.

However, this isn't just about a pianist. It is about family, lives, and the dynamics of it all.

One of the best books I've read all year.

5 stars!
Comment 5 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
5.0 out of 5 starsRead it aloud on my iPod Touch
By Amazon Customer on January 13, 2011
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
I read this book aloud to my 11 year old piano playing daughter after hearing about it on NPR and downloading it onto my iPod - couldn't find a copy in Barnes and Noble in Baton Rouge! It was an inspiring book and I think we will buy the CD with the songs featured in the book. As we were reading it, the Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother publicity started coming out. Piano Lessons is a much happier and meaningful book, about a child who has an inner drive, a true need, to play the piano rather than being forced to. I think it is very inspirational and educational for aspiring piano students to read about a non-pop culture obsessed child finding her way through school, personal relationships, piano contests, etc. A good message about the importance of not playing for winning but for pleasure and how joy is required to be able to play beautifully comes through. Very well written and compelling to read for anyone interested in music and the process of becoming a musician.
Comment 7 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
5.0 out of 5 starsA beautiful tribute to the impact a piano teacher can have on her students
By L on January 7, 2011
Format: Hardcover
I recently finished reading Piano Lessons by Anna Goldsworthy. In this book, Goldsworthy not only narrates her path as a piano student and a maturing adolescent, she also gives voice to the growing relationship between her and her piano teacher, Eleonora Sivan.
There were two main things that stood out to me as I read this book. First of all, Goldsworthy by explaining Sivan's philosophy expresses a well-balanced perspective on music and music competitions. Her emphasis is that music is meant to be shared, and a music competition is just another means to share music. The focus then is on the music and not on the competition itself. Secondly, Goldsworthy throughout her narration outlines the friendship, mentorship, and closeness that develops between teacher and student. She describes a rich friendship and mentorship that grows throughout the days, weeks, and months as teacher and student work together.
Comment 4 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
5.0 out of 5 starsInspirational!
By Daphne on March 6, 2011
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
I am a flute teacher who loves new ways to communicate music to my students. I loved this book and have quoted from its pages as I teach. "Piano lessons" gave me that injection of inspiration that I need to be successful. Thank you Anna Goldsworthy!
Comment 3 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
5.0 out of 5 starsA profoundly spiritual book
By Amazon Customer on April 24, 2013
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
I have been involved in spiritual work for 45 years, and this book is as deeply spiritual as anything I have ever read, and far more real than most.
What comes across in this book is a blazing passion of music, of a Wise Woman communicating secrets of magic to a young girl and blowing away the crap of daily adolescent life....You see that when a true master and a young yearning spirit come together that art is a communicable passion and you are there at that infection
Comment Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse
5.0 out of 5 starsFascinating psychology
By The Thinker on October 4, 2012
Format: Hardcover
I enjoyed the author's descriptions of her states of mind as she grew up studying the piano and gradually adopted a more and more rigorous approach to mastering it. I enjoyed her teacher's method for getting more deeply in touch with music and the minds of its composers. The author was frank about her feelings at every step as she progressed from a girl whose attention was divided between typical adolescent concerns and a desire for more complete devotion to music to a young adult who happily made a complete commitment to developing herself as a musician. Her thoughts as she prepared, practiced, rehearsed, and performed were comforting to me as I thought about my own involvement with music. Although the author has remained a professional musician, her desire for a successful career as a performer seems to have been replaced by her desire to teach, described as a higher calling to help students develop a deeper appreciation and understanding of the amazing, fantastic art produced by great composers. I agree that appreciation of music is the main thing, not fame and fortune. The audience for live classical piano music is small, and learning to perform it requires many years of complete dedication. But wonderful experiences are there for its students as they encounter its beauty and marvel at the consciousness that produced it.
Comment Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Sending feedback...
Thank you for your feedback.
Sorry, we failed to record your vote. Please try again
Report abuse

Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

For aspiring pianists, and anybody else who loves the piano.

Published 10 months ago by Christy
5.0 out of 5 starsLove this book

Fun and intrresting.

Published 14 months ago by Alfred J. Castino
2.0 out of 5 starsLike tasting a baked potato without butter or sour cream

Quite disappointing because it started off well and went down from there. Like tasting a baked potato without butter or sour cream. Read more

Published 17 months ago by Chris F.
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Very well written, interesting and informative

Published 18 months ago by Helen Berry
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

great

Published 21 months ago by phyllis price
3.0 out of 5 starsAn OK book

This book was recommended to me by a friend. I thought that it was "OK," but not terrific. The tone of the book seemed to indicate that the writer was not a great pianist... Read more

Published 21 months ago by washalee
4.0 out of 5 starsFABULOUS except for one thing....

I absolutely loved this book. I so badly want to buy a copy for all my piano teacher friends and for countless students... Read more

Published on March 19, 2014 by Sharon S.
3.0 out of 5 starsGoogle example of life of a piano student

Some students spend too many hours practicing. My life was very similar but I didn't want to be concert pianist. Read more

Published on March 18, 2014 by Phyllis Noonan
5.0 out of 5 starsNice leisurely read...

I had bought this book hopefully to pick up some tips on lessons taking as I just started my classical lessons with my teacher. At first the chapters were a little boring... Read more

Published on March 12, 2014 by Desmond
5.0 out of 5 starsA great book

This is a book that should be read by all serious piano students. It is very informative and enjoyable and worth the purchase.

Published on January 30, 2014 by Jennifer Shields

There's a problem loading this menu right now.

Learn more about Amazon Prime.



Pages with Related Products. See and discover other items: sheet music piano