091 - Seven Black Composers in the Piano Teaching Repertoire

February is Black History Month—a time to honor and celebrate the contributions of African Americans. As a music teacher, this prompts me to pause and evaluate what I’m teaching, but also why. I ask questions like:

How much diversity is present in my students’ method books and repertoire?

Which pieces should we skip due to their complicated history?

How can I make more thoughtful, informed choices about the music I put in front of my students—choices that are pedagogically sound and historically responsible?

This year, I want to focus more on the existing repertoire and the creators behind it. In this episode, I’m going to introduce you to seven Black composers of elementary and intermediate piano repertoire.