The Diné Pianist 

by Urbina Yazzie

Music has been a huge part of Diné culture. Throughout the years, we have seen music evolve. Most of our music is used for spiritual and healing purposes. There are many talented Diné musicians out there that are opening doors for more creative ways to introduce Native American music to the world. Conner Chee, an award-winning Diné pianist from Page, Arizona, owns and operates a recording studio in Phoenix called Wild Saguaro Records. From learning how to play on a small piano keyboard, to driving four hours every weekend to take piano lessons in Flagstaff to improve on his performance side, Chee has worked hard. At ten years old, Chee was accepted into a performing arts school in Cincinatti, Ohio where he began focusing on performance. Eventually, Chee’s love for music grew and he went on to earn degrees in Piano Performance. 

Leading the Way Volume 23 No. 4