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New Report Says U.S. Orchestras Are Programming More Works by Composers of Color and Women

New Report Says U.S. Orchestras Are Programming More Works by Composers of Color and Women

The new “2022 Orchestra Repertoire Report” says that over the last several years there’s been an increase in how often American orchestras perform works by composers of color, women composers, and living composers. The report also examined programming trends dating back from 2015 to the current season.

The study was produced by SUNY Fredonia’s Institute for Composer Diversity, in partnership with the League of American Orchestras, with support from the Sphinx Organization’s Venture Fund. Data for the study was gathered from season announcements and the websites of medium and larger budget orchestras.

Black Orchestral Network Calls On American Orchestras to Enact Systems Level Change

Black Orchestral Network Calls On American Orchestras to Enact Systems Level Change

Founded by Jennifer Arnold, Alexander Laing, David A. Norville, Joy Payton-Stevens, Shea Scruggs, Weston Sprott, and Titus Underwood, the Black Orchestral Network describes itself as “a community of Black orchestral artists” who “love and care about the American orchestral community.” However, with that love comes concern. BON sees the relative lack of Black talent in professional orchestras as a huge problem and has entered the arts activism field with not only a mission, but with a call to action.

In BON’s formal call to action, the organization offers some of the context that inspired their very direct approach, namely, a 2014 statistic that highlights the fact that less than 2% of American orchestral musicians are Black.

CONVERSATIONS Season 1 Now Available on Spotify

CONVERSATIONS Season 1 Now Available on Spotify

Represent Classical’s popular video series, CONVERSATIONS, is now available to listen to on Spotify.

Hosted by Christine S. Escobar, Founder and Editor of Represent Classical, each episode of “CONVERSATIONS” features in depth interviews with industry leaders, notable musicians, movers, shakers, and innovators in classical music and related genres.

Stay tuned for Season 2 beginning in late spring with more insightful and thought-provoking discussions on the change that musicians of color are creating in the music industry.

american orchestras, artist feature, arts activism, audio, awards, ballet, bass, books, chamber music, commissions, competitions, composers, conferences, conservatories, dance, fellowships, forums, funding, in person concerts, in person events, inspiration, international, interviews, justice reform, music, music administration, music education, music history, music schools, musicology, new release, opera, opportunities, orchestras, premieres, scholarships, season announcements, social justice, solo performances, strings, summer programs, support for BBIPOC music, tour dates, video, virtual concerts, young artists, youth orchestras, announcements, podcastChristine EscobarApril 18, 2022Conversations, interviews, music, musicians of color, musicians, composers of color, orchestras, classical music, audioo, audio, video, series, featured artists, BBIPOC musicians, BBIPOC classical musicians, BBIPOC composers, support for BBIPOC music, podcast

EVENTS: Pianist Tiffany Poon to Debut at Kennedy Center in All Schumann Recital

EVENTS: Pianist Tiffany Poon to Debut at Kennedy Center in All Schumann Recital

Tiffany Poon will perform December 12 at 2 p.m. at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as part of Washington Performing Arts' 2021-2022 season. The program features the works of composers Clara and Robert Schumann.

Sphinx Org Announces 2022 Venture Fund Recipients

Sphinx Org Announces 2022 Venture Fund Recipients

The Sphinx Organization has awarded two grants of $100,000 and one grant of $97,500 for 3 projects that meet the Sphinx Venture Fund’s mission to support initiatives designed to solve a challenge or an issue related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in classical music.

american orchestras, awards, chamber music, competitions, composers, commissions, conservatories, funding, music, music administration, music education, music schools, opera, opportunities, orchestras, social justice, strings, support for BBIPOC music, young artistsChristine EscobarNovember 12, 2021music competitions, competitions, composers of color, Sphinx Venture Fund, Sphinx, sphinx organization, BBIPOC musicians, BBIPOC classical musicians, BBIPOC composers, Art of the Piano Festival & Foundation, Awadagin Pratt, Nina Simone Piano Competition, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati, Manhattan School of Music, Alexa Smith, New York City Opera’s Duncan-Williams Voice Competition, The Juilliard School, Weston Sprott, Composing Inclusion, New York Philharmonic, American Composers Forum

New $2 million Mellon Foundation Grant to Fund DEI Practices in 20 American Orchestras

New $2 million Mellon Foundation Grant to Fund DEI Practices in 20 American Orchestras

A new gift of $2.1 million from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation will support the League of American Orchestras’ next phase of their Catalyst Fund: an incubator program to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion practices in American orchestras. The new grant follows the receipt in 2019 of $2.1 million from the Mellon Foundation to fund a three-year pilot program that provided grants to 49 orchestras.

New UK Based “Black Lives in Music” to Use Data, Advocacy to Advance Equity

New UK Based “Black Lives in Music” to Use Data, Advocacy to Advance Equity

The UK-based organization Black Lives in Music (BLiM) is using data and advocacy to amplify and empower Black musicians and music creators, in response to the widespread calls for equity for Black musicians.

composers, conservatories, forums, funding, music, music education, music history, music schools, musicology, opera, opportunities, orchestras, social justice, strings, support for BBIPOC music, video, internationalDalanie HarrisJune 1, 2021Black musicians, Black classical music, Black jazz musicians, Black pop musicians, Black folk musicians, Black composers, Black music history, Black opera, diversity, equity, inclusion, UK, United Kingdom, Black Lives in Music, Charisse Beaumont, Orphy Robinson, Shabaka Hutchings, Paulette Long, Spotify, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Help Musicians UK, Arts Council England, Trinity Laban, Leeds Conservatoire, PRS Foundation, The Ivors Academy, Musicians’ Union, Featured Artists’ Coalition, Manchester Jazz Festival, Jazz North, Marsden Jazz Festival, Lichfield Jazz Festival, The Black Music Coalition, London Mozart Players, National Youth Choirs of Great Britain, Black choral music, Zeze Millz

NIMAN: Newly Formed Coalition To Take Holistic Approach to Racial Equity in U.S. Classical Music

NIMAN: Newly Formed Coalition To Take Holistic Approach to Racial Equity in U.S. Classical Music

While many classical music organizations are looking inward to address racial equity issues, a new initiative is taking a new approach to advocating for young musicians of color. The National Instrumentalist Mentoring and Advancement Network (NIMAN) is a network made up of like-minded organizations and individuals seeking to promote racial equity in classical music.

Concertia's Inaugural “Emerging Composers Fellowship” Accepting Applications

Concertia's Inaugural “Emerging Composers Fellowship” Accepting Applications

The Texas based nonprofit arts organization, Concertia, is offering a new composer fellowship this spring. Three recipients will be chosen for awards that include cash grants and opportunities to have a performance of a previously unperformed, unpublished work, or the opportunity to have a studio quality recording of a newly commissioned work.

awards, composers, funding, music, scholarships, fellowshipsChristine EscobarApril 20, 2021fellowships, diversity fellowship, equity fellowships, composers of color, grants, grants for musicians, grants for composers, fellowships for composers, Concertia, arts organizations, emerging composers, music

El Sistema USA Launches Individual Membership

El Sistema USA (ESUSA) has launched an individual membership tier. A nationwide membership organization, ESUSA serves as the connective tissue between U.S.-based music programs inspired by the successful El Sistema model. The El Sistema program, established by maestro José Antonio Abreu in Caracas, Venezuela in 1975, provides musical instruction to youth with the greatest need at no cost, with an emphasis on ensemble programming. The continued success of this program in Venezuela inspired the replication of its programming model around the world, and eventually, the formation of ESUSA.

funding, music, music education, music schools, scholarships, young artists, youth orchestrasDalanie HarrisApril 12, 2021music education, El Sistema USA, El Sistema, ESUSA, BIPOC classical music, BIPOC classical musicians

Sound Off x Bass Players for Black Composers: New Works for the New Year

Sound Off x Bass Players for Black Composers: New Works for the New Year

Sound Off: Music for Bail presents a recorded concert in collaboration with Bass Players for Black Composers, a performing and commissioning organization that "encourages the expansion of solo repertoire for bass and the normalization of works by Black composers through commissioning diverse artists in all stages of their careers, disseminating works, facilitating performances, and producing educational programs."

Lift Music Fund Microgrants Are Elevating BBIPOC Student Musicians

Lift Music Fund Microgrants Are Elevating BBIPOC Student Musicians

The Lift Music Fund is a new microgrant program open to U.S. students aged 11 to 22 who identify as Black, Latinx, or Native American/Indigenous/First Nations. Funds of up to $250 per awardee are given to help offset the costs of studying music.

The next application deadline for the Lift Music Fund is January 15th at 11:59 PM EST. Interests students may apply here.

CSO/CCM Diversity Fellowship Accepting 2021-23 Applications Until Dec. 1

CSO/CCM Diversity Fellowship Accepting 2021-23 Applications Until Dec. 1

University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music (CCM) and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) are now accepting applications for the 2021-23 Class of CSO/CCM Diversity Fellows. Applications and pre-screen materials are due December 1 online.

The Diversity Fellowship is awarded to 5 graduate level students of violin, viola, cello and double bass from “populations that are historically underrepresented in classical music.” The fellowship includes a full tuition scholarship to complete a two-year Master of Music or Artist Diploma at CCM, and a performance commitment of five weeks per season with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

awards, funding, music, music schools, young artists, conservatories, orchestras, american orchestras, summer programsChristine EscobarNovember 17, 2020fellowships, scholarships, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Chautauqua Institution, University of Cincinnati, College Conservatory of Music, orchestra, diversity fellowship

Entries Sought for 2nd annual William Warfield Classical Vocal Competition

Entries Sought for 2nd annual William Warfield Classical Vocal Competition

The 2nd annual William Warfield Scholarship Fund Classical Vocal Competition for African American High School Students will take place October 24, 2020. Entries are now being sought for the first round of this vocal competition, supporting Black high school classical singers. Prizes range from $500 to $2000. The first round of entries is due on September 25, 2020.

competitions, awards, funding, music, young artistsChristine EscobarSeptember 18, 2020competitions, vocal, classical music, young musicians, Black musicians, precollege musicians, William Warfield Vocal Competition

Sphinx Venture Fund Now Accepting Applications for 2021

Sphinx Venture Fund Now Accepting Applications for 2021

Applications for the 2021 Sphinx Venture Fund are being accepted now until September 30, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. ET

awards, fundingChristine EscobarSeptember 1, 2020awards, funding, sphinx organization, Sphinx Venture Fund, New Music USA, Cleveland Institute of Music, Aaron P. Dworkin