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Ann Hobson Pilot
Boston Records
May 25, 2018
· by Jennifer Gersten
Cleveland Institute of Music Cleveland’s commencement stage welcomed Ann Hobson Pilot, former
principal harpist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra — and the first
African-American woman to hold a principal position in a major
orchestra. Pilot described the racial discrimination she has encountered
in her career, and reflected on how her dealings with adversity have
yielded strength and character. “I’m often asked, how could you put up
with this? And the answer is, how could I not? I was hired to play the
harp, and that is what I tried to do to the best of my ability. I
recognize that other African Americans had to endure much, much more
than I ever did. And so in continuing to blaze a trail as so many others
before me had, I made sure that I was considerate, honest and that I
treated others with the same respect that I expected to be treated with,
even if it meant expressing displeasure if someone made an insulting
or, shall we say, ‘off-color’ statement or joke. After a while, I think
these same people realized that ‘the racial thing’ was their problem,
not mine.”
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