Ahead of this weekend's KPBX Kids' Concert, local teacher and singer-songwriter Frankie Ghee came into the Spokane Public Radio performance space to offer some background on the event and preview a few songs.
Ghee opened by talking about her undergraduate degree in microbiology and her later career in music and teaching. Afterwards, she discussed her Around the Piano initiative, which launched around 2015 and became a way for her to cultivate musical appreciation and encourage character-building behaviors in teens and preteens.
To illustrate, Ghee played three original songs that she incorporates into her Around the Piano repertoire: "Dreams," "It's Alright to Breathe" and "What's Your Name." She also offered some context for each song.
During the interview, Ghee explained how the name "Around the Piano" came from the shared experience of music-making and the moments of empathy and self-reflection that emerge from that practice. She also shared that the piano is not her primary instrument, so Around the Piano is as much a learning and growth experience for her as it is for the participants.
Ghee will be the featured performer at this KPBX Kids' Concert, titled "Gather Around the Piano." The concert takes place this Saturday (Nov. 4) from 1–2pm at the Spokane Falls Community College Music Building Auditorium (3410 W Whistalks Way, building #15).
The concert is free, thanks to event donors STCU, Rocket Bakeries, and Harvard Park Children’s Learning Center North.
