Connor Chee
- Feb 17
- 6 min read
Connor Chee (b. 1987) stands among the most compelling voices in contemporary American piano music—a composer-pianist whose work bridges two powerful musical worlds: the Western classical tradition and the living cultural heritage of the Navajo (Diné) people. Through performance, composition, and education, Chee has built a body of work that is at once deeply personal, culturally rooted, and broadly accessible, bringing Native American musical perspectives into the modern piano repertoire with clarity and authenticity.
Early life and musical beginnings
Born in 1987 and raised within the Navajo Nation, Chee was introduced to music at a young age and began piano lessons at six. His early talent quickly became evident, and by age twelve he had already achieved a milestone that most pianists spend decades pursuing: after winning a gold medal in the World Piano Competition’s Young Artist Division, he made his debut at New York’s Carnegie Hall.
This remarkable early success launched a lifelong path in music. Though his initial training was firmly rooted in the Western classical canon, Chee’s identity as a Diné musician would eventually guide him toward a broader mission: to preserve and share the stories, sounds, and cultural perspectives of his Navajo heritage through the medium of the piano.
Education and artistic formation
Chee pursued formal musical studies at two of America’s most respected conservatories, earning degrees from the Eastman School of Music and the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. During these formative years, his focus remained largely on performance. Like many classically trained pianists, he spent years mastering the established repertoire before turning seriously to composition. Over time, however, he began to recognize a powerful opportunity: the piano could serve as a vessel for cultural storytelling.
Rather than treating classical music and Navajo traditions as separate spheres, Chee sought ways to integrate them. He began composing works inspired by Navajo chants, songs, landscapes, stories, and ceremonial traditions—adapting elements of these musical and cultural expressions into a pianistic language that respects their origins while engaging contemporary audiences.
A distinct musical voice
Connor Chee’s music is distinguished by its synthesis of classical form and Navajo cultural inspiration. His compositions often draw from traditional chants and songs, as well as broader elements of Diné cosmology and daily life. In some works, he creates original pieces inspired by traditional materials; in others, he crafts piano transcriptions or reinterpretations of traditional melodies, placing them within a classical framework.
This approach allows his music to function on multiple levels. For listeners unfamiliar with Navajo culture, the pieces offer evocative and accessible piano writing. For those with knowledge of Diné traditions, they carry deeper layers of meaning and cultural reference. Chee’s compositions may evoke ceremonies, landscapes of the American Southwest, sacred figures from Navajo mythology, or the rhythms of everyday life on the reservation.
As his career has developed, Chee has increasingly viewed composition as a form of cultural preservation. By translating aspects of Navajo musical tradition into written piano works, he ensures that these influences can reach concert halls, classrooms, and audiences far beyond the Southwest—while still honoring their origins.
Recordings and major works
Chee has released multiple albums of original compositions and transcriptions, building a significant recorded catalog. Among his best-known releases is The Navajo Piano (2014), which received Best Instrumental Recording at the 16th Annual Native American Music Awards, while his piece “Beginnings” won Best New Age Song.
Subsequent recordings have continued to expand his musical vision. Emergence explored themes drawn from Navajo stories and mythology, while Scenes from Dinétah (2020) presented piano works inspired by elements of Navajo life and culture. The latter project was accompanied by a series of music videos filmed on the Navajo reservation, directed by Navajo filmmaker Michael Etcitty Jr., creating a multimedia portrait of Diné cultural experience.
In The Navajo Piano (Revisited), Chee returned to his earlier compositions, recording new performances alongside the traditional songs that inspired them, offering listeners a direct connection between source material and contemporary interpretation.
His 2023 album Across the Desert: The Long Walk Home stands as one of his most historically resonant projects, paying tribute to the Navajo people’s resilience and the traumatic yet enduring legacy of the Long Walk and return to ancestral lands.
Beyond solo piano works, Chee has also written commissioned compositions such as Unbroken, a tribute to the Navajo Code Talkers of World War II, honoring their crucial role in American military history and their cultural legacy.
Performance and recognition
As both pianist and composer, Chee has built a national reputation through concert appearances, recordings, and broadcasts. His music has been featured on NPR’s Performance Today and presented in festivals and concert halls across the United States. He has received multiple Native American Music Awards and won first prize in the Bradshaw & Buono International Piano Competition, further establishing his credentials in both performance and composition.
Chee’s performances frequently combine standard classical repertoire with his own compositions, allowing audiences to experience the continuity between his training and his creative voice. His work has also been included in projects and festivals dedicated to expanding the classical canon to include Indigenous and other historically underrepresented composers.
Education, outreach, and cultural advocacy
A dedicated educator and advocate, Chee regularly presents masterclasses, residencies, and educational programs. He works with students and communities to demonstrate how classical music can coexist with and amplify cultural identity rather than replace it. Through workshops and lectures, he encourages young Native musicians to explore classical training while maintaining connections to their own traditions.
Central to Chee’s mission is the belief that music can serve as a bridge—linking generations, cultures, and histories. His compositions, performances, and teaching all reflect a commitment to honoring Navajo culture while contributing to the evolving landscape of American concert music.
Legacy and significance
Connor Chee represents a new generation of American composers redefining what classical music can encompass. By integrating Diné musical inspiration with classical piano traditions, he has created a repertoire that is both culturally specific and universally resonant. His work not only expands the possibilities of the piano but also challenges longstanding assumptions about whose stories and sounds belong on the concert stage.
For audiences and performers alike, Chee’s music offers something rare: a voice that is unmistakably modern yet rooted in centuries-old tradition. Through his compositions, recordings, and advocacy, he continues to shape a richer, more inclusive vision of American piano music—one in which Indigenous perspectives hold a central and enduring place.
Selected Performances
Horny Toad - Horny Toad, from the twelve-movement suite Scenes from Dinétah, opens in a hush: four quiet half-note octaves that feel like a brief invocation before the music begins to flow. From this stillness emerges a lyrical, singing texture shaped by unmistakable Navajo melodic contours—lines that seem to breathe, chant, and move with the natural rhythms of the desert landscape.
The title refers to the horned lizard, known as the “horny toad,” a small desert creature that holds symbolic meaning in Navajo (Diné) culture. Often associated with resilience and protection, it represents the quiet strength needed to live in harmony with a demanding environment.
In this evocative miniature, Connor Chee transforms the piano into a storyteller’s voice, offering a musical portrait of Dinétah—the Navajo homeland—where even the smallest creatures carry deep cultural and spiritual significance.
Sunrise - In his piece Sunrise, from Scenes from Dinétah, composer and pianist Connor Chee reflects a beautiful Navajo (Diné) tradition:
“It is Navajo tradition to wake up before the sun rises, so you can greet him and offer a prayer with white corn pollen. It is believed that you should never let the sun ‘see you sleeping,’ but rather find you already awake and ready to take on the day. When the Holy People see that you are already prepared to face the challenges of the day, they will bless you.”
This moving reflection reminds us that Sunrise is not only a musical depiction of dawn, but also a meditation on readiness, gratitude, and beginning each day with intention.
Weaving - In Weaving, from Scenes from Dinétah, composer and pianist Connor Chee reflects on the deep connection between Navajo weaving and music:
“The Navajo people are known for weaving beautiful rugs, a tradition that continues today. I’ve always been fascinated by the relationship between music and weaving—both require balance, vision, and meticulous counting to create intricate patterns. Watching my grandmother weave had a profound influence on my musical discipline and the way I shape my own compositions.”
A beautiful reminder that music, like weaving, is an art of patience, structure, and imagination.
Locating The Music
You can purchase all of Connor Chee's piano score at Wild Saguaro Records.
Solo Piano Suites/Collections
Sandpaintings — 2012
The Navajo Piano — 2014
Emergence — 2018
Scenes from Dinétah — 2020
The Navajo Piano (Revisited) — 2021
Across the Desert: The Long Walk Home — 2023
