I recently experienced the importance of community–specially the community of piano students I teach–in launching my new book, “Play PIano: A Learner’s Guide to Playing, Reading, and Creating Music.” I spent over a year and a half writing the book, and I involved my piano students throughout the process. Not only did I get essential feedback from piano learners to make the book’s content as strong as possible, I also got student stories of their piano-learning experiences to use in the book.

When it came to planning the book launch event itself, the launch felt like it was more than about just me: it felt like a celebration for the community. It was also a good chance for my students to meet each other. I hadn’t held an in-person event for my piano studio since before the Pandemic. Thanks to the “book launch committee,” five students who helped me organize the details, the launch occurred on a beautiful evening in late April in downtown Sacramento. I did a book signing, a few students and myself performed, we toasted with champagne (and for some of us, apple cider), and we cut the cake my student Wendy had made with the cover of the book on it.

It was great to see people. There were students I had never met in person, due to working with them online. All in all, the launch created great energy for the book going forward. What’s more, it was nice to have an occasion to bring students together to enjoy the spirit of music-making.

Amy, one of the students on the book launch committee, had this to say during her toast:

Good evening! My name is Amy. I’m a current student of Chris’s. A while back, while Chris was writing this book, he would sometimes share little excerpts with me and ask for my thoughts. He even interviewed me about my piano learning experience. I’m at the end of Chapter 10, in case you were curious.

But I knew that I wasn’t the only student he was bouncing ideas off of – or quoting in the book. So one day, I said to him, “wouldn’t it be cool if once the book was published, you had a launch party, and everyone who played a part in shaping the book, could come together, meet on another, and celebrate this incredible accomplishment?”

And here we are!

Take a look at some event pics below, captured by photographer Kevin Graft: