Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Christopher E. Singleton Sr.. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Christopher E. thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

When I was 12, my mom paid for take piano lessons. Those lessons only lasted 2 weeks. The main reason why it didn’t last long was because my piano teacher didn’t take the time to get to know me. I know that is the case because 8 years later I learned how to play the 1 finger version of the “Super Mario Bros.” theme in less than 3 minutes. It was in that moment that I realized that my mom knew I was destined to be involved with the piano. At Southern Connecticut State University I majored in Music & I took Piano I & Piano II. I inquired with the instructor about being an assistant for Piano I and she welcomed me with open arms. During that experience I realized my presence made a difference in the learning environment. After that I had several opportunities to teach the piano which I took advantage of. Because of life experiences I ended up having to change careers. One day randomly while working in my new field, I knew I still wanted to make a difference for those that may be interested in piano. I ended up creating the piano characters Chris & Frankie. I ended up creating a book called “Chris & Frankie: Intro to Our Ebony & Ivory Keys”. I made the choice to illustrate the book because I didn’t have access to an illustrator. 6 months later, I was able to introduce my characters to the owners of F-Flat Books and my journey took a detour. They introduced me to Dustin James who made Chris & Frankie look amazing. Chris & Frankie have found their ways to several classrooms, several homes, bookstores, & libraries. Creating Chris has Frankie has inspired lots of ideas for me that can make the piano more accessible than ever before. One of those meaningful projects is my business The Keys To Piano.

My goal with The Keys To Piano is to turn readers into pianists. I will focus on emergent readers as well as those that know how to read. My concept has been tested and has shown great results. I am in the process of coming up with designs for a graphic designer to help me take my dream further.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I got into my journey of making the piano more accessible by simply doing so. I worked in an Afterschool Program at an artsy high school in New Haven, CT and truly realized this was a part of my calling.

I will provide reading materials for my clients that has the potential to motivate them to want to learn to read as well as play songs the piano. The process is so accessible that guardians of children that know nothing of the piano can teach them how to play it.

I have created a color coded system that makes learning the notes on the piano very accessible. For those that aren’t able to see colors I have made it possible for them to still be able to join in on the fun.

I am different from most piano coaches because my focus is actually on reading. Especially because of all of this access to technology, reading is not happening as much as it could, which is delaying reading skills that a lot of people need. My way of tackling this will be revolutionary. Caretakers want options that can get their children off of screens, and I’m providing that option.

I have also found a way to take Lego’s and turn them into a learning tool for the piano.

I will release music in the near future that ties in with my goal of making the piano as well as the ukulele more accessible. In the meantime if you’d like to check out some music that is thought provoking, or a song that could make you laugh and be hungry at the same time, please consider looking up SeeSings wherever you stream music.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

My original goal was to focus to inspire the next generation of pianists as well as the next generation of readers. I never realized that they could be accomplished at the same time. One day after a parent gave me their feedback they said, “Not only is Shannon learning how to play piano, but she’s learning how to read at the same time.”. That’s what lead me to change my focus to “Turning Readers Into Pianists”. If reading could be more fun then there is so much hope the piano can be as well.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

If you like what someone does, find a way to support them that could potentially drive their target audience to them. For authors, I think the best way to help them is to suggest their book to your local library. Outside of that, share their book with others who may be interested in it whether it be teachers, administrators, or parents. Bookstores love for authors to come share their work. If they have a great book, but don’t have activities, please give them suggestions to help them make their book even more beneficial to their target audience. Being a creative overall is quite the investment, and sometimes to make a huge difference in someone’s journey all it takes is one recommendation to pivot them to where they should be. If they have content, please engage with the content. If you really like their content, please share it.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekeystopiano
• Other: https://www.linktr.ee/csingletonsr/

Image Credits
Eric Pratt He took the headshot of me wearing the Chris & Frankie shirt at the CLT Airport Overlook in the summer of 2022 Toni Singleton She took the picture of me reading at the Union County Heritage Festival in 2022