plus encore (Chopin Nocturne)
“Seamless cantabile, silky scales, piquant textures, inner turmoil … Westney delivered perfume-scented Fauré with much aplomb. His performance of Gershwin (Porgy and Bess) brought out all the glorious melodies and reveled in the naughty, sly moments. The concert was totally relaxed, unstuffy and refreshing.”
– THE STRAITS TIMES (SINGAPORE) – 2009
“Westney played marvelously, with power, flair, and remarkable clarity”
– THE NEW YORK TIMES
“A riveting combination of energy, clarity and sensitivity”
– THE NEW YORK POST
“William Westney Recital a Triumph (headline) – . . . graceful, glittering technique, handsome power and resonance, subtle tonal shadings and intelligent, sensitive musicianship.”
– HOUSTON POST
“Pianist William Westney was exemplary; as [he] vented the melodies’ poignancy, he was virtually singing through his fingers.”
– PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE
“Rich with distinctive sensitivity, maturity, lyricism, dynamic élan”
– AVANTI (Milan, Italy)
- Silver medalist, Geneva International Piano Competition
- Only American winner, young artist auditions held by Radiotelevisione Italiana
- Recording (Ornstein Quintette) cited by Newsweek magazine as one of the “10 Best American-Music Recordings” of the year
- Recital appearances in New York’s Lincoln Center, Washington D.C.’s National Gallery, St. John’s Smith Square (London, U.K.), National Public Radio’s “Performance Today,” USIS-sponsored tour of Italy, and more
- Concerto soloist with l’Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Houston Symphony, San Antonio Symphony, many more (for a complete listing, see below)
RECORDINGS
- Studies by Stephen Heller, op. 45-46 (CD). Sold with the G. Schirmer “Performance Edition” of the studies (W. Westney, editor) (2005)
- Studies by Friedrich Burgmüller, op. 109 (CD). Sold with the G. Schirmer “Performance Edition” of the studies (W. Westney, editor) (2009)
- Selected Lyric Pieces by Edvard Grieg (CD). Sold with the G. Schirmer “Performance Edition” of the pieces (W. Westney, editor) (2013)
- William Westney – In Recital (CD). Works by C.P.E. Bach, Chopin, Fauré, Prokofieff (1998)
- Musical Heritage Society , Album MHS 7020K: Sonatas #1 and 3 by Carl Maria von Weber for solo piano (1982)
- Composers Recordings, Inc. Album CRI 339 Music of Leo Ornstein: includes Three Moods (1914) for solo piano, Piano Quintette (1927) for piano and strings (1976)
CONCERTO PERFORMANCES
- L’Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (Switzerland), Rimsky-Korsakov Concerto op. 30 (TV/radio broadcast)
- Collegium Musicum Basel (Switzerland), Rimsky-Korsakov Concerto op. 30
- L’Orchestre Régional de Mulhouse (France), Rimsky-Korsakov Concerto op.30
- San Antonio Symphony, Stojowski Concerto #1, April 1986 (U.S. premiere)
- Denver Chamber Orchestra, Rhapsody in Blue (NPR broadcast)
- Yale Symphony, Ornstein Piano Concerto, Dec. 1976 (world revival of a work which had premiered in 1925; coverage by N.Y. Times and other national media
- New Haven Symphony, Mendelssohn Concerto #1
- Houston Symphony, Liszt Concerto #1; Mendelssohn Capriccio Brillante
- Queens Symphony (NY), Rhapsody in Blue
- Jackson (Mich.) Symphony, Tschaikovsky Concerto #1
- Jackson (Mich.) Symphony, Khachaturian Piano Concerto
- Jackson (Mich.) Symphony, Stojowski Concerto #1
- Jackson (Mich.) Symphony, Ravel Concerto for the Left Hand
- Jackson (Mich.) Symphony, Warsaw Concerto
- El Paso Symphony, Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue
- El Paso (TX) “Programs of Excellence”, Rhapsody in Blue
- Roswell Symphony (NM), Rachmaninoff Concerto #2
- Dallas Wind Symphony, Rhapsody in Blue
- Waukegan (IL) Symphony, Grieg Concerto
- Abilene (TX) Philharmonic, Rachmaninoff Concerto #2
- Nassau Symphony Orchestra (NY), Rhapsody in Blue
- Ridgefield Symphony (CT) Beethoven Concerto #1
- Roswell Symphony, Mozart Concerto K. 453
- Lubbock (TX) Symphony, Prokofiev Concerto #1
- Lubbock Symphony , Khachaturian Piano Concerto
- Lubbock Symphony, Gershwin Concerto in F
- Lubbock Symphony, Beethoven Concerto V
- Lubbock Symphony, Liszt Concerto #1
- Lubbock Symphony, Grieg Concerto
View additional videos on the MEDIA page
WILLIAM WESTNEY, “IN RECITAL”
AUDIO RECORDINGS ON YOUTUBE
Works by LEO ORNSTEIN
Piano Quintette (1927)
from Composers Recordings Inc. #339
cited by NEWSWEEK magazine as one of the
“10 Best American-Music Recordings” of 1975
Mvt. III part 1
Mvt. III part 2
Three Moods (1914)
from Composers Recordings Inc. #339
Tarantelle
Live recording, St. John’s Smith Square, London