By Tim Smith | tim.smith@baltsun.com
December 7, 2008 JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - “In the empty concert hall of the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts - its sea of turquoise seats set against sand-colored walls practically shouts 'Florida' - four musicians rehearse Mozart's elegant E-flat major Quartet for piano and strings. Cellist Troy Stuart furrows his brow, saying, 'Something's not right.' Violinist Tai Murray agrees and asks the pianist to come in 'more joyfully.' She kicks up her fur boot-covered feet in a little dance to demonstrate the mood she's after. Nothing unusual about classical musicians trying to deepen an interpretation, note by note. But there is something unusual in this case.
“They're all African-American - members of the Ritz Chamber Players. For Stuart, 39, of Baltimore, the affiliation with the Ritz is deeply satisfying. 'I've learned from everyone I've played with, people of all races,' he says. 'But I can't lie. There's something special about making music with other African-Americans, persons whose experiences are a lot like mine. Just looking at each other gives us confidence.' Although the classical music arena enjoys a reputation for being a color-blind meritocracy, few blacks perform in the nation's orchestras. Just 1.9 percent of the nation's orchestra musicians were African American during the 2006-2007 season; the most recent report available from the League of American Orchestras; the figure was 1.3 percent in 1994-1995. The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra has one African-American full-time player among 92.” [Full Post]
Baltimore SunBy Tim Smith | tim.smith@baltsun.com
December 7, 2008 JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - “In the empty concert hall of the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts - its sea of turquoise seats set against sand-colored walls practically shouts 'Florida' - four musicians rehearse Mozart's elegant E-flat major Quartet for piano and strings. Cellist Troy Stuart furrows his brow, saying, 'Something's not right.' Violinist Tai Murray agrees and asks the pianist to come in 'more joyfully.' She kicks up her fur boot-covered feet in a little dance to demonstrate the mood she's after. Nothing unusual about classical musicians trying to deepen an interpretation, note by note. But there is something unusual in this case.
“They're all African-American - members of the Ritz Chamber Players. For Stuart, 39, of Baltimore, the affiliation with the Ritz is deeply satisfying. 'I've learned from everyone I've played with, people of all races,' he says. 'But I can't lie. There's something special about making music with other African-Americans, persons whose experiences are a lot like mine. Just looking at each other gives us confidence.' Although the classical music arena enjoys a reputation for being a color-blind meritocracy, few blacks perform in the nation's orchestras. Just 1.9 percent of the nation's orchestra musicians were African American during the 2006-2007 season; the most recent report available from the League of American Orchestras; the figure was 1.3 percent in 1994-1995. The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra has one African-American full-time player among 92.” [Full Post]
Few Black Musicians in U.S. Orchestras
Troy Stuart
Ritz Chamber Players
Aaron Dworkin
Sphinx Organization
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