William Sterling

Introducing

Achilles killing Penthesilea, queen of the Amazons by Exekias of Athens c. 560 BC. This type of pot is called Black Figure ware as the figures were filled in using the liquid or slip clay which miraculously turned black during the firing process. One of the incidents during the Trojan War not recorded by Homer was the fight between Achilles, hero of the Greeks, and Penthesilea, queen of the tribe of warrior women called the Amazons. Achilles won but at the moment he drove his spear into her neck their eyes met for the first time and they fell in love with each other. Exekias shows this ultimate Greek Tragedy by suggesting Achilles is trying to pull the spear out rather than thrust it home but all too late. Image © Trustees of the British Museum
My name is Dr William Sterling ~ welcome to my website. I have degrees in History and Geography with additional qualifications in Music and Education. I taught full-time at an Independent School in Kent for four years before joining the Civil Service. I worked for 16 years in the Department of Transport… Read more »

Look out for…

  • Upcoming Events

    1. British Museum Highlights

      When: June 24 @ 11:30 am - 3:30 pm

      These tours of the British Museum last 90 minutes and take in up to 15 highlights from the museum’s vast collection.  They are at 11:30 am and 2:00 pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The tours cover both main floors of the museum plus some of the side rooms and examine objects from Africa, Europe,… Read more »

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Featured articles

Serge Prokofiev

Prokofiev and Shostakovich The course examined how two Russian composers came to terms with the constraints of living and working under the Soviet regime. Unlike their contemporaries, Rachmaninov and Stravinsky, both Prokofiev and Shostakovich found ways to express their artistic integrity within the strict confines of Soviet Russia. They were both censored at times but… Read more »

Walmer Suite

Walmer Suite This suite of five short piano pieces were written or revised whilst I was teaching at a small school in Walmer, Kent.  The pieces are all suitable for teaching piano techniques.  I was the head of History at the school but also taught History of Music and Music Theory to the older pupils. … Read more »

Music and Art Inspired by Shakespeare 5

MUSIC AND ART INSPIRED BY SHAKESPEARE No. 5: All At Sea – [this talk was cancelled but I have included it so that anyone interested can see what art I was going to talk about. I have adjusted the music as I included some works in other talks]. Much of Shakespeare takes place when characters… Read more »

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