Do You Know Why Your Piano is Black and White?

I began to do a deep dive into the world of Nate Holder. From performing to speaking, to crafting beautifully storied works in music learning, I was hooked. I reached out and offered to review his forthcoming book, and it did not disappoint.

So, why is my piano black and white?

Nate’s new book, Why is My Piano Black and White? is presented as a “fun facts guide” all about the piano. As a classically trained pianist and piano teacher, I was excited to dig into all 185 pages and see what sort of fun facts I would learn. What I found was so much more than a tale about the color of the keys on my piano.

The book is laid out sequentially, detailing musical styles throughout history and illuminating the historical figures and present performers who have shaped piano playing in a variety of spaces. This book is an incredible collection of narratives and “fun facts”:

• Do you know how many strings are needed for a piano to make its full range of sound?
• Do you know what it said on Chopin’s first report card?
• Do you know how many pieces could Bartok play by the time he was four?
• What about Emahoy Tsegue-Maryam Guebrou?
• And, what key did Thelonius Monk like to write in?…

I know all of this now! (thanks to Nate)

Here’s the thing. As a music education profession, we do a pretty good job teaching kids to read notes and play music. Where we struggle, in my opinion, is to connect our music-making to the deep-rooted (and often overlooked) history and culture of the music we play. Even worse, we omit some of the very vital players who have shaped the trajectory of music performance. Such omissions can lead to a music education that devalues certain musical styles and music-makers, creating a biased hierarchy.

Not only does Holder break down barriers by relating Deadmau5 to Chopin, but he also does so in a way that is engaging, incredibly accessible, and fun! I wish I had this book as a young pianist. Often feeling that my time spent playing rock music was viewed as lesser than more noble pursuits (like classical piano), I struggled to combine my musical selves. This book shows young pianists that they, too, can use one instrument to express many different musical ideas and are following the footsteps of many incredible pianists who have come before them. He uses approachable language, and the illustrations by Charity Russell are playful and make the book visually accessible for young musicians.

Did I mention that Nate also provides QR codes for Spotify playlists in the back of the book?? There are over a dozen playlists with music from composers and artists mentioned throughout the book. Young musicians reading this can fully immerse themselves in the music as they read and listen to the styles presented.

What isn’t black and white

While there is no “right way” to teach piano, play the piano, or even create a piano (as I learned from reading this book), there is a wrong way to engage students in music learning.

The wrong way to approach music education is to allow our spaces “to remain white” while “the notes may be black,” as borrowed from Nate’s poem that started this review.

My education as a pianist was very white. I studied histories of Western European masters and played Chopin for days but knew nothing about George Walker or Greg Phillinganes. Even today, as I reflect on my classroom and the students I share the joy of music with, I see how my own experiences have led to a music education that excludes the histories and voices of many people. After reading this book, I am encouraged that I can do better. And, I feel like I have the tools to know where to begin.

Nate Holder’s book, Why is My Piano Black and White, is an inclusive and informative book that I would recommend to any pianist (young or old), piano teacher, and music educator in general!

Thank you, Nate, for sharing your sense of wonder with all of us through this text. The book is out on Amazon, and you can grab your copy today.

*This is not a sponsored post, just an honest review of a great book.