We had a great conversation with Kyle P. Walker: Activist Concert Pianist and Educator as our guest of Season 3 Episode 6.
Kyle, a strong advocate for social equality, believes music can speak to social issues better than verbal language. Having extensive experience both as a performing artist and journalist, he feels a strong responsibility and passion for raising awareness of social justice issues through music in an accessible and engaging way.
In this episode, you will hear Kyle’s thoughts on how music can speak towards current social issues, how he brings awareness to influential Black music through his innovative and inclusive programs, and more.
[Kyle P. Walker – Activist Concert Pianist]
A strong advocate for social equality, critically acclaimed pianist Kyle P. Walker believes music can speak to social issues better than verbal language can, the understanding of which he brings to both traditional Western repertoire and that of the living worldwide composers with whom he collaborates.
His performances have been featured on media broadcasts, including The Green Space at WNYC, WQXR’s Mcgraw-Hill Financial Young Artists Showcase, Sunday Baroque, NPR’s Public Radio East, CNN, and PBS. He has been featured in recitals at New York’s Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall and with an orchestra in Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall.
Mr. Walker was featured in residency alongside the Boston-based Castle of Our Skins ensemble at The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. The online series of free digital programs explores how some Black American composers have found inspiration in the rich tradition of spirituals.
Walker is a pianist of DARA + KYLE, an innovative piano/cello duo, and 2021 recipient of the Chamber Music America “Ensemble Forward” career grant. The award-winning duo is committed to bringing excellence and respect to all under-represented composers in the canon. Walker also performs with The Harlem Chamber Players, an ethnically diverse collective of professional musicians dedicated to bringing high-caliber, affordable, and accessible live classical music to people in the Harlem community and beyond.
As an advocate of social justice, Walker is a founding member and chamber musician of The Dream Unfinished, an activist orchestra that supports NYC-based civil rights and community organizations through concerts and presentations. As a teaching artist and educator, he has co-presented at the Human Rights Center, the New York Society for Ethical Culture, and the Brooklyn Public Library.
A dedicated educator, Walker is a piano faculty member at NYU Steinhardt’s program in Piano Studies. In addition, he is also on the faculty of the Lucy Moses School at Kaufman Music Center and the chamber music faculty of The Artist Program at Suzuki on the Island. He has presented recitals, residencies, and masterclasses at various institutions such as The University of Dayton, The University of Virginia, Belmont University, Allen University, The Harlem School of the Arts, and The Duke Ellington School of the Arts. He has also co-presented extensive workshops alongside The Dream Unfinished, including the Carnegie Hall Music Educator Workshop, speaking about arts activism and building diverse curriculums for students to include composers that reflect the communities they serve.
📺 Watch his performance of “Troubled Water” by Margaret Bonds: https://youtu.be/nPeLOYc3pNA
