Chyantre Alexis Swann stands quietly in a corner behind the semi-circle of keyboards, where seven young students wait for the signal from their teacher, Elijah. He’s playing the introduction to the piece they’re about to perform. At its conclusion, he raises his head and nods: “Okay, you’re on.” As they simultaneously begin working the keys, Chyantre--better known as KeeKee--begins to sing. Her voice is strong, direct and melodic, and the young piano players follow her. The song is Lift Every Voice and Sing.
KeeKee comes by her musical talent naturally: “I was raised by my grandmother after my mother died, and she always had music playing. Music like the Spinners, the Stylistics, and she’d be singing along. And, our church was very musical.” KeeKee was invited to join the children’s choir. From there, her choir director encouraged her to audition for Arts High in Newark. She attended from 6th Grade through high school.
Music and church brought KeeKee and Keys 2 Success (K2S) together. She grew up in Pennington Court public housing, where Keys first started offering free piano instruction for children. Jee-Hoon Krska, the founder and now executive director of K2S, attended the same church as KeeKee’s family, and her oldest child was in the youth group with KeeKee.
“Keys was different from the start,” KeeKee remembers. “Lots of organizations want to help, so Pennington Court was often receiving gifts of clothes, food--and that was great. But there was no relationship.They didn’t want to know us. But you guys? You talked to us, you hugged us, you came back. You wanted to know us.”
That has always been part of the mission of K2S: not only to teach classical piano, but to bring communities together. That’s why many of the K2S volunteers live in New Jersey suburbs as well as in Newark. They not only get the satisfaction of “doing good,” they get to experience a vibrant community with so much to offer. “Keys is about so much more than music,” KeeKee said. “It’s always been about more than music.”
KeeKee helps the “Keys Kids” in any way she can, whether it’s singing a solo for a special recording session, or practicing with the children when she can. But finding the time is challenging: currently, she works in a child development center while completing her degree in social work at Rutgers-Newark, volunteer and mentor middle school and high school kids, and helps take care of her grandmother. She sees herself eventually working with high school and middle school youth.
“The children follow her,” Ms. Krska observed. “When she starts singing, they all immediately synch up with her. And they also follow her lead in the classroom. If she says, ‘Let’s focus on playing the song now,’ they’re ready to focus and play. She’s a natural with kids--they just love her.”
Given her talent and past vocal training, does she see a future for herself as a performer? “No, no! I’m committed to working with kids, getting my certification. But music will always be a part of my life. I want to be used--where people need me to sing, I’m happy to do it. I love to sing.”
This is the third in a series of features on teachers and students involved in our fall performance, recorded at =Space in Newark. Next: A conversation with Charlene Burgess on her journey from Buffalo to New York City to Newark and her motivation for working with Keys 2 Success.
