Biography
Dr. Leah N. Claiborne
pianist/educator
Leah Claiborne, D.M.A. promotes diversity in the arts by championing piano music by Black composers in her performances, research, and teaching. She was the first pianist at the University of Michigan to be awarded the Rackham Predoc fellowship which is the most prestigious fellowship awarded by the graduate school. This fellowship allowed her to further research, compile, and edit piano music by Black composers.
In 2019, Leah was a prize winner in the ProMusicis International Music competition. This competition awarded her the Father Merlett Award for her high quality musical performance and commitment to social outreach.
In 2018 she curated a sold out concert at the University of Michigan Museum of Art which featured instrumental and vocal music by Black American composers. In the same year, she recorded selections from Samuel Coleridge Taylor’s 24 Negro Melodies for piano solo and piano trio. In 2016 she was a top prize winner in the National Association of Negro Musicians National Piano Competition. In the same year she was awarded the University of Michigan Martin Luther King Spirit Award for her creation of a free piano program for local students where the focus of study was on the impact of Black classical piano composers.
Leah has performed across the United States as well as Germany, Italy, and the Czech Republic. Most recently, she performed at Hiroshima University in Japan with the Asia America New Music Ensemble.
Dr. Claiborne received her undergraduate degree from Manhattan School of Music where she received the Josephine Whitmore graduation award. This award was given to a graduating senior “whose personal qualities enriches the spirit of the school and community at large.” She received her Masters of Music and Doctorate of Musical Arts degree at the University of Michigan.
Dr. Claiborne currently teaches at the University of the District of Columbia where she serves as coordinator of keyboard studies and teaches the History of African American Music.
Performance Video
"Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child" from 5 Negro Melodies for Piano Trio by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.
Performed by Dr. Leah Claiborne (piano), Anita Dumar (violin), Lindsey Sharpe (cello).
Artwork by: Whitney Barnes.
Videography by Duderstadt Center, University of Michigan.
Video edits by Viddleton Production.
“Wade in the Water” from 24 Negro Melodies by Samuel Coleridge Taylor
"Wade in the Water" is a popular Spiritual that has been brilliantly arranged by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. This spiritual is a code song- embedding hidden messages into the songs for slaves to communicate on how to escape.
“I’m Troubled in Mind” from 24 Negro Melodies by Samuel Coleridge Taylor
“Many Thousands Gone” from 24 Negro Melodies by Samuel Coleridge Taylor
Performance
Available for masterclasses, clinics and lectures
Social Outreach
Mission and Purpose
The purpose of this program is to teach the youth in our community classical piano music while also addressing the lack of diversity and representation in the field of classical music. By exposing students and teaching them the music of Black composers, this program normalizes, validates, and encourages the piano studies of a wider demographic of students.