Navajo pianist Connor Chee has written several compositions over the years for Washington State University’s Jacqueline Wilson (Yakama), but the two have never played together.
That will change next Tuesday night when Chee, an award-winning composer, and Wilson, a WSU Assistant Professor of bassoon, take the stage together for the first time during the inaugural Ruth and Loran Olsen Festival of Native American Music. Co-directed by Wilson and Associate Professor of Music Melissa Parkhurst, the festival will be held Nov. 12–13 on the WSU Pullman campus. The event is free and open to the public and many of the performances will be livestreamed. It aims to immerse audiences in the rich cultural heritage of Indigenous music, featuring Chee as the Artist-in-Residence.
“Connor infuses his identity as a Navajo person into his compositional voice,” Wilson said. “Sometimes that’s very overt with pieces dedicated to Navajo life like frybread or weaving; other times it’s subtler, through non-Western musical devices that create a welcoming experience for listeners.”
The festival begins at 11 a.m. on Nov. 12 in Kimbrough Concert Hall with a conversation featuring Chee, who will offer insights into his creative process and the cultural influences shaping his music. Chee is renowned for blending traditional Navajo elements with Western classical forms, producing a unique style that connects audiences to his heritage in an accessible way.
In addition to the conversation, Chee will perform a recital in Bryan Hall Theatre at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 12. The program includes solo piano pieces and collaborative chamber works, some of which he composed for Wilson herself. One highlight of his performance will be “Sand Paintings,” a new composition inspired by the Navajo sand painting tradition.
On Nov. 13, the festival continues with a piano masterclass at 1 p.m. in Kimbrough Concert Hall, where Chee will work with WSU piano students, sharing his expertise and encouraging students to explore diverse musical expressions.
The evening concert on Nov. 13, set in the Elson S. Floyd Cultural Center, will feature performances by WSU School of Music faculty and students, along with Nez Perce singer Nakia Cloud. A special meal of Indian tacos, provided free of charge by Indigenous Eats of Spokane and WSU Catering, will also be provided.
“I kind of envision this event as a musical potluck with attendees encouraged to interact and enjoy the music in a relaxed, social setting,” Wilson said. “Our hope is that it will feel like a community meal with music present. Some may listen attentively, others may want to make new friends, but everyone will be able to enjoy the music and each other.”
The festival is made possible through the generosity of Professor Emeritus Loran Olsen, who established the Ruth and Loran Olsen Fund to foster the presence of Native American music on campus.
“We see this festival as an annual event that really honors the intent of Professor Olsen, whose vision was to establish a continuous platform for Indigenous music,” Wilson said.
