In Conversation with Connor Chee

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Connor Chee is an award-winning pianist, who is known for blending his classical training with his Native American heritage to create unique works inspired by Navajo, or Diné, chants, songs, and culture.

In November this year, Chee was invited from his home in Arizona to the Northwest, to serve as artist-in-residence at the inaugural Ruth and Loren Olsen Festival of Native American Music at Washington State University. NWPB’s Anjuli Dodhia caught up with him at the music school’s recording studio, to find out where his inspiration comes from, and hear his music.

In the course of the interview, Chee performs the following pieces.

Navajo Vocable for Piano No. 9 (The Navajo Piano, Wild Saguaro Records)

Coyotes (Emergence, Wild Saguaro Records)

The Water Monster (Emergence, Wild Saguaro Records)

Spider Woman (Emergence, Wild Saguaro Records)

Weaving (Scenes from Dinétah, Wild Saguaro Records)

Shí Naashá (Across the Desert: The Long Walk Home)

You can learn more about Connor Chee and his music, and find links to his music videos at ConnorChee.com

The interview was recorded November 13, 2024

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