Wilmer Wise on Black Performers: 'Why not celebrate the players who are in today's orchestras?'

[African American Trumpeter Wilmer Wise; Photo from website of The Jazz Museum in Harlem]

Earlier today AfriClassical posted “Comment On Baltimore Sun Article On Small Number of Black Musicians in U.S. Orchestras”. The comment came in response to our publication of Tim Smith's newspaper article. We are extremely grateful for a very informative second comment from Wilmer Wise, an African American trumpeter who was a pioneer when he joined the Baltimore Symphony: “I reminded Mr. Smith that 43 years ago when I joined the Baltimore Symphony it was front page news. I left the orchestra in 1970 and I haven't heard from them since then. Why not celebrate the players who are in today's orchestras? In 1965, the year in joined the BSO, there were NO black trumpet players in ANY American orchestra. Today, Billy Ray Hunter is the Co-Principal Trumpet of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. Tage Larsen is a member of the Chicago Symphony trumpet section. Langston Fitzgerald joined the Baltimore Symphony Trumpet Section in 1970. Let's celebrate what we have, not what we would like to see, I'm sure there will be positive results.
Wilmer Wise
Baltimore Symphony 1965-1970
Brooklyn Philharmonic 1971-2004
December 8, 2008 6:32 PM