Black Professional Classical Musicians Festival and the Challenges of Racial Discrimination
June 9, 2020 Charleston SC—Amidst
an unprecedented time for a vast number of Americans, the political
discussion has now turned to black businesses and institutions regarding
how systemic racism has created a divide that reaches far beyond
COVID-19.
As
Broadway remains shuttered and cruise ships are moored to piers, the
classical music world has also
experienced a devastating blow. White classical organizations generally
have funded budgets for the 2020-2021 season and hefty endowments
support from wealthy individuals overseeing private foundations. They
are also able to access the National Endowment of
the Arts or have quick lines of credit to keep the doors open and pay
employees during and until the pandemic is over.
Black
institutions, on the other hand, are placed in dire situations to “pull
themselves up by their bootstraps”
as Dr. King once said, and “…how do you expect a bootless man to pull
himself up?” It is no secret black Americans do not have access to a
system designed to exclude them.
Now in its eighth season of presenting black classical musicians, the
Colour of Music Festival
(COMF) is the rare example of black classical excellence in the U.S.
showcasing an abundance of black talent from top American and European
conservatories.
Despite
this, the organization has had little success convincing donors to lend
their support and/or even
consider diversifying their giving. Organizations like COMF are often
met with resistance because those with funds to support the arts stick
with organizations that have historically produced classical music in
America.
To
witness nearly all Fortune 500 companies make statements, “We support
Black Lives Matter’” and “We
support you,” that support unfortunately will not include black
organizations such as COMF. These statements are viewed by many in the
black community as lip service. No corporation will have their feet held
to the fire when we utter “now show us the money.”
Dating
back to Haydn and Mozart, black composers and artists have been a part
of musical offerings in
Europe. However, even centuries ago black artists and composers
suffered racism. The very construct of classical music was never
intended to allow black people to share in any part of the art form.
After all, it is viewed by many white Americans as
theirs. Fundraising balls, galas, and sponsored principal
orchestra chairs are the engines that create exclusive access to the
virtuoso instrumentalist, making it very much white society.
So why was a Colour of Music Festival started?
Its
mission reveals what it is—a black classical musician organization with
a keen focus on inspiring children of all races to dream and aspire to
be participants.
Black composers’ works and black conductors on the podium remain rare.
Special event concerts such as MLK celebrations, Pops series, and Gospel
Christmas concerts are typical displays of diversity on many stages,
but Masterworks and Chamber series rarely showcase
black artists.
For
many black classical musicians, the genre is considered another glass
ceiling needing penetration.
Other countries export their talent without apology for having no black
artists in their entourage and no one questions the idea. But for many
in America the COMF is an entity they fail to discuss and question why
such a bold idea was even started.
Anywhere
in America you can find billboards of Shen Yun’s national tour—a great
example of a country putting
money behind its unique position and heritage. White audiences flock to
see them! This also occurs when organizations like the Israeli
symphony, Russian orchestras and others from Europe come to America—they
are presented by white concert associations that
would never present COMF because it is too black. The only American
orchestral exports are the multi-million dollar-funded top ten
orchestras who receive local and global sponsorships. International
touring of COMF will never see the likes of that exposure
because we cannot get that kind of support.
Significant
segments of American orchestra spots, including Latin conductors, have
been given music director
positions black conductors are very qualified to handle. Black men and
women contend with internal racism among the very members of the
orchestras who vote on the players and conductors filling the openings.
Considering
there are more than 2,000 orchestras throughout North America, the
Colour of Music Festival’s
sole purpose is to focus on, and present contributions black composers
and classically trained musicians of African ancestry bring to the art
form.
The
efforts of COMF have failed to increase the percentage of black
classical musicians in the 2,000-plus
orchestras, currently calculated at 2% of orchestral members. The
League of American Orchestras has implemented many initiatives to change
this dismal representation, but it will take generations for those
numbers to increase even slightly.
That
stark 2% statistic allows both black and white patrons of the art form
to draw their own conclusions
as to why black institutions like the Colour of Music Festival do not
enjoy similar levels of support experienced by their white counterparts.
As
heirs to those who have endured inequities across the country, the
Colour of Music Festival has made
several statements as to why such a radical concept is needed in
America. The Festival points out the disparity every time we take the
stage. In a way, we are saying and doing this because we have been
systematically kept out of the concert hall to present
our version of what was exported from the racist system our European
cousins fostered.
To
honor the life and legacy of George Floyd and numerous others who paved
the way for the COMF to exist,
the organization hopes the spotlight will turn to the financial support
of HBCUs, the Festival, and other black institutions needing support.
Each time the Colour of Music Festival presents it is living proof of a collective solidarity in hope
that one day, as in other countries, black expression can be appreciated and financially supported.
Please view the Colour of Music Festival’s
We Stand in Solidarity
video.
Lee Pringle
Founder and Artistic Director
Colour of Music Festival, Inc.
PO Box 22724
Charleston SC 29403-2724
About the Colour of Music Festival
Based
in Charleston, South Carolina and organized in 2013, the Colour of
Music Festival, Inc. presents a diverse classical repertoire of baroque,
classical and 20th
century music at the highest of musical standards to diverse audiences
throughout the Lowcountry, regionally, and nationally. The Festival has
also presented performances in Washington, DC, Atlanta, GA, Houston, TX,
Nashville, TN, Richmond, VA and Pittsburgh,
PA and Columbia, SC. www.colourofmusic.org
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