“As a frequent attendee of new music events around the world, I often feel as though the presence of people who look like me is not wanted or is merely tolerated, but for me this feeling arises mainly from observations of concert programming,” writes composer Anthony Green in Wednesday’s (11/14) NewMusicBox. “The new music community not only has the responsibility, but also the incentive, to change. How, one might ask? There are some extremely simple steps: If you are an active soloist or are in or run an ensemble of any size, program music by black composers…. If you do not know any music by a black composer, create a playlist and have weekly listening sessions…. Ask your teachers to include more music by black composers in the theory classroom…. Support black composers and the soloists, organizations, and ensembles that program their music. [The concert series] Castle of our Skins (of which I am a co-founder) is one of a handful of organizations whose seasonal programming regularly consists of at least 90% music by black composers.… When you are at a music event … see what is missing, and ask yourself what that says about what you truly want.”
Posted November 20, 2018
