Brandon Keith Brown
Sergio A. Mims writes:
Germany based
conductor Brandon Keith Brown was profiled today in the German daily
Tagesspiegel about his experiences as a black conductor in Europe and
dealing with racism while pursing his career.
English translation of article
Bruckner for all:
African American conductor Brandon Brown fights racism in the world of classical music.
To
become the chief conductor of a symphony orchestra is pretty much the
most ambitious thing a black USB citizen can do. Because in the field of
classical music, whites still prefer to stay below themselves. In
sports, in jazz, in the entertainment sector, most recently also in the
film business, African Americans have won their place. But when it comes
to Mozart, Beethoven & Co, they continue to stand outside, failing
on the glass walls of a racism that is not overtly but yet implicitly
present.
"A
friend said to me the other day: it's more likely to be a Black boss
with the Berliner Philharmoniker than with one of the American top
orchestras," says Brandon Brown. The 1981 born in North Carolina
teacher's son has dared it anyway. And he owes that to his music teacher
at elementary school. A teacher who knew how to awaken the creativity
of her protégés. "We should write down a melody and she then explained
which harmonies fit. I did that every day, when I was eight. "At ten he
can get violin lessons from the school, a year later he is admitted to
the state youth orchestra, passes the entrance examination at the
Oberlin Conservatory of Music at 17, then moves to Northwestern
University and graduated in 2011 from the Peabody Institute in Baltimore
with honors.
But
while his white classmates proclaim with confidence, "I'm a conductor,"
Brandon Brown doubts, also because he lacks a great role model. And
because he is the only African American in the class who often feels
like the AlibiBlack, giving the teachers the good feeling they need to
meet the diversity requirement. One problem, says Brown, was the
reactions of the fellow students: "They perceived me as an intruder and
gave me the atmosphere to understand."
But
Brandon Brown does not let himself be intimidated, is studying. And
then meets at the Aspen Festival David Zinman, the longtime music
director of the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra, which encourages him to
venture a conducting career. However, Brown only gets closer to his
dream when he goes to Germany in 2015. "I did not know anybody, had no
management, I just sent my documents and a DVD around and after eight
months I was already in the finals for the chief conductor position of
the Jena Philharmonic," he says. "I was allowed to conduct Bruckner's
Sixth Symphony, not typically American, chamber music or jazz, but German core
repertoire."
He
has also conducted orchestras in Weimar and Karlsruhe, and will debut
with the Nürnberger Symphoniker in November. "The Rundfunk
Sinfonieorchester Berlin has invited me twice," Brown continues, "in the
first concert we played Mendelssohn's Midsummer Night's Dream Music, in
the second work of Mozart and C.P. E. Bach. That would have been
unthinkable in America."
For
Brandon Brown, the mistake lies in the US education system. "Even
access to normal education is difficult for African Americans. Good
music education is usually only in those schools that are in the good
neighborhoods and on which you can go only if the parents have a certain
income. No wonder so few of us arrive at the conservatoires, not to
mention the conservatoires. "And if it does, then it gets really hard.
"Conducting can only be learned in practice, in dealing with an
orchestra," says Brown. "At the same time you will fail, that's normal.
But for black conductors there is usually no second chance. Because we
do not have a network that supports us. "
Which
is also because the orchestras are privately financed. "The power lies
therefore not with the Intendanten, but with the board, which consists
mostly of rich CEO's, well-known physicians or lawyers. And these people
have a clear, very narrow idea of what a maestro should look like."
Definitely not black.
Brandon
Brown also finds harsh words for many education projects in his
homeland. "They are not sustainable because the kids understand that
they are musical alms." The way the outreach programs work is
condescending. "There is no connection to the everyday reality of the
target groups. And that's why those approached will not be ticket buyers
for tomorrow. "
As
for his profession, Brandon Brown has now taken the initiative. He has
deliberately encouraged African Americans from the United States to sign
up for the Conductors' Workshop, which he will host in Berlin from 18
September. "Fortunately, there are programs for female conductors in my
home country. But why not for African Americans? Because that would mean
they would have to think about their history. "
Brandon
Brown wants to continue his way in Germany. "Here I feel accepted in my
field, musically stimulated, here I can grow in the tradition and
although I speak fluent German, I have more appearances than in the US."
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