This Week in Piano History: National Black Women in Jazz and the Arts Day

Nina Simone, born February 21, 1933 in Tryon, North Carolina, was a jazz singer, pianist, and civil rights leader. A child prodigy, Simone studied at the Juilliard School of Music as a classical pianist before becoming interested in jazz composition. Simone recorded over forty albums and received four nominations for a Grammy Award. She received multiple honorary degrees from institutions including Amherst College, Malcolm X College, and The Curtis Institute of Music. One of her most significant works is “Mississippi Goddam, a song which reflected on murders of multiple Black people including Emmett Till. The song challenges listeners to consider the atrocities of racism in the United States. Interested to hear Simone perform this important song? Listen to this recording from 1964. Also, check out this article below about the Nina Simone Piano Competition, founded by pianist Awadagin Pratt.

Composer, pianist, and teacher Margaret Bonds was born on March 3, 1913 in Chicago, Illinois. Bonds is often connected to composer Florence Price, with whom she studied piano and composition throughout high school. She later performed Price’s Piano Concerto in One Movement with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, becoming the first African American soloist to perform with the orchestra.¹ Bonds studied at Northwestern University as well as the Juilliard School of Music. While in New York City and Los Angeles, Bonds was active as a teacher and arts leader, creating performance opportunities for Black musicians in her community. She is well known especially for her spirituals, songs, and choral works. Interested to hear Bond’s famous composition Troubled Waters? Listen to this recording by pianist Samantha Ege.