Articles

The most accurate assessment of Eric Ainsworth's solid talent as a composer should be made by listening to the music that he creates. As a composer and pianist myself, I am all too aware of the limits of the English language, but I will tell you what I know of him, and I strongly encourage you to consider him as a recipient.

Eric came to study piano performance with me when he was 17. From the very first meeting it was quite apparent to me that he was an extraordinary musician. His intensity and drive, his endless curiosity about things musical, philosophical, and intellectual have made him stand apart in a society that does not sufficiently esteem these qualities. To see a sincere and gifted artist such as Eric, who has so much to offer to other human beings, caught in a mundane struggle for financial security makes one think hard about our priorities.

I have worked with Eric from his barest beginnings as a composer, and have always been richly rewarded as I watch his steady unfolding. He has always had something new to say, but is now able to use form, structure, and balance to express himself as a mature artist. Talent is only the raw material with which one can work, and without the ability to persevere, it is irrelevant. Eric has that ability, and I highly recommend him as a worthwhile investment for the sake of perpetuating honest principles in our society.