PRESS RELEASE: 19 JUNE 2025
The Frances Clark Center announces the release of Easter Monday Swagger: Scherzino for Piano by Thomas H. Kerr Jr., edited by William Chapman Nyaho and Susanna Garcia. Published by Piano Education Press, this edition commemorates Juneteenth with the publication of a joyful, historically rich work that contributes meaningfully to the canon of African American classical music.
Completed on Easter Monday in 1970, Easter Monday Swagger was written for and dedicated to Natalie Hinderas, the distinguished concert pianist and longtime professor at Temple University. Hinderas performed the piece in a series of recitals highlighting works by Black composers, culminating in her groundbreaking 1971 recording Natalie Hinderas Pianist Plays Music by Black Composers on Dest Records.
Easter Monday Swagger is a sectional work that offers contrasting interpretations of the spiritual “Walk Together, Children.” Subtitled A Fantasy “Romp” on “Walk Together, Children,” the piece blends playful, exuberant textures with moments of depth and reflection. The composition almost certainly honors the tradition of Easter Monday as a day of communal celebration within the African American community of Washington, D.C.
This is the first published edition of the work and the third release in a series of piano compositions by Thomas H. Kerr Jr., edited by Chapman Nyaho and Garcia for Piano Education Press. Titles in the series include Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel?: Concert Scherzo for Two Pianos, Four Hands and Dancétudes: 7 Vignettes of Dolls and Pets.
The editors, duo-pianists William Chapman Nyaho and Susanna Garcia, have performed together since 1991 and are recognized for their commitment to expanding diversity in piano literature. Their editorial work on this series continues to elevate the artistry and cultural contributions of Thomas H. Kerr Jr.
Easter Monday Swagger is now available through Piano Education Press.