Selected and Reviewed by Andrew Eales
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Back in 2023 I reviewed two collections of Piano Music of Black Composers compiled by the American performer, scholar, and educator Leah Claiborne for Hal Leonard’s Expanding the Repertoire series.
The two books offered a varied and engaging, if in hindsight slightly inconsistent, potpourri of little-known music by Black composers, and at the time I concluded,
“It’s a great pity that this fabulous pedagogic repertoire hasn’t been a standard feature of our piano education culture, and Leah Claiborne has done us a superb service in providing these slender volumes. We must hope more will follow.”
More has indeed followed, and I was delighted to receive Claiborne’s latest anthology, Arise and Shine, which offers 28 piano solos by Black composers suitable for intermediate to early advanced players (I would estimate UK Grades 2-8).
A ‘luminous tapestry’
Rather than acting as a third volume, this new collection serves as their successor, offering an extensive introduction to the music of Black composers that can be used over several years, alongside the established material that players and teachers love.
With that in mind, the pieces are ordered in the book so that they progress in a suggested order of study, and there is a good spread of contrasting music for players at each level.
Claiborne has also written a short but useful background and performance note for each piece. These helpful insights are grouped together near the start of the book, preceded only by the Contents page and an inspiring Preface, in which Claiborne and Ben Raznick, her collaborator for Arise and Shine, suggest:
“Music is not merely heard: it is felt, lived, and inherited. This selection presents a luminous tapestry of piano works by Black composers, designed to awaken the imagination of the performer while honouring a legacy too often overlooked. It is a declaration: the classical piano tradition has always been richer, more vibrant, and more diverse than history books have told.”
A few of the best pieces from the previous two books reappear here, not suggesting a lack of alternatives, but rather a desire to establish these works firmly within mainstream piano pedagogy, as they deserve.
Here is the full list of pieces, in their progressive order:
- The King’s Magic Drum (Leah Claiborne)
- The Turtle (Innocent Okechukwu)
- Dinosaur (Innocent Okechukwu)
- The Unsung (Leah Claiborne)
- The Old Boatman (Florence Price)
- Woodpecker (Innocent Okechukwu)
- Dave’s Blues (Dave Ragland)
- The Sun Will Shine Again (Kevin Day)
- What A Beautiful City (Spiritual, arr. Artina McCain)
- The Gnat And The Bee (Florence Price)
- Make Believe (Ulysses Kay)
- That’s Mike (Hale Smith)
- Fort Erie (Francis Johnson)
- Ella Scats The Little Lamb (Valerie Capers)
- Waltz For Miles (Valerie Capers)
- A Sachem’s Pipe (Florence Price)
- Rabbit Foot (Florence Price)
- Rocking Chair (Florence Price)
- Popcorn (Florence Price)
- Jamaican Dance No. 1 (Oswald Russell)
- Jamaican Dance No. 2 (Oswald Russell)
- At The Cotton Gin (Florence Price)
- Nocturne (Zenobia Powell Perry)
- Meditation (Irene Britton Smith)
- Prelude No. 3 (Florence Price)
- Prelude No. 4 (Florence Price)
- Negro Dance (Nora Douglas Holt)
- Three-Fours Suite (Op. 71 No. 1) (Samuel Coleridge-Taylor)
Standout highlights abound, but I must mention how much I enjoyed the selection of pieces by Florence Price, many of them new to me.
These works showcase Price’s gift for evocative character miniatures, in common (but not overlapping) with those selected by Michael Clark for his Rediscovered Gems collection (reviewed here, and named Sheet Music Publication of the Year 2025 at the independent Presto Music Awards).
But having explored the whole collection, I found Arise and Shine to be packed with really great music. And I can certainly concur with Claiborne and Raznick’s view that,
“From playful dances to contemplative nocturnes, each piece is a story, some whimsical, some profound, affirming that Black artistry belongs at the heart of the repertoire. Crucially, the music offers a unique pathway for pianists of all ages and skill levels to develop their technical fluency and artistic voice.”
Positive inspiration, minor quirks
That the catchy enthusiasm of the editors is matched by an inspiring and varied selection of music is welcome news indeed. Adding to my recommendation, the book itself is one which I feel piano students and players will enjoy exploring, thanks in no small part to its positive presentation and vibrant cover. It is not, however, without a few quirks, and though far from serious they should be mentioned as always.
The first of these appears upon turning the cover: the inner title page sports a large QR code bearing the legend “Scan. Practice. Play.” Taking up this simple and apparently clear invitation, I scanned the code in the hope of finding practice tips, audio and perhaps video content on the Hal Leonard website. At the time of writing, however, scanning the code simply led me to the book’s basic product page, together with promotional links for other Muse products.
Similarly underlining Hal Leonard’s assimilation into the Muse Group, the book announces, “This publication was engraved using MuseScore.” Given the clean, very neatly presented notation which follows, I have to admit I am thoroughly impressed, although my ageing eyes would have appreciated a slightly larger stave size, particularly given the bright white paper.
Helpful fingerings have been added throughout the book, although again there are minor quirks. A few pieces lack any fingering, including Dave’s Blues and The Sun Will Shine Again, which both appear towards the start of the book and are aimed at early intermediate players, who might reasonably expect fingering support. Having said that, in pieces which offer more ample fingering, it is sometimes a little eccentric.
These small issues certainly don’t detract from what is generally a superbly presented, and brilliantly put together collection. With its striking design, well presented scores, editorial guidance, and sturdy staple-bound production, this is a collection that should stand the test of time and give years of inspiration and enjoyment.
Closing thoughts
It has been nearly two decades since Oxford University Press published William H. Chapman Nyaho’s groundbreaking five book series Piano Music of Africa and the African Diaspora (reviewed here). These books remain unique in both their geographical breadth and scholarly ambition.
But in the meantime, more music has come to our attention, and new names have added to the considerable body of piano music by Black composers. Leah Claiborne’s continuing work exploring this rich repertoire has so far focused on more accessible pieces suitable for learners from the earliest stages, thereby delivering a favourable counterpoint to the publications previously available. As the editors insist, so I agree:
“The imaginative character and expressive range found here provide delightful challenges and profound rewards, fostering growth with every piece learned.”
It is certainly a pity that these pieces have not previously been more widely known and cherished. With such a beautiful addition to the piano pedagogy library, however, there’s no doubt that this music’s time has come. Arise and Shine!
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