Richard Antoine White in R.A.W., a documentary about his life and music career. Photo: John Waire
“One could be forgiven for overlooking the tuba’s elegance or its contribution to classic symphonies,” writes Clyde McGrady in Saturday’s (12/18) Washington Post. “Perhaps you didn’t know that one can earn a Ph.D. in tuba studies. Or that the tuba would be a vehicle for a powerful story about a young man whose focus, persistence and talent helped him survive a chaotic life in Baltimore … ‘I’m Possible: A Story of Survival, a Tuba, and the Small Miracle of a Big Dream’ tells the story of how Richard Antoine White found another way: classical music.… He tells of how he overcame circumstances—a family plagued by substance abuse, domestic violence and poverty, and became the first Black American to earn a doctorate of music in tuba performance…. White, 48, and currently an associate professor of tuba/euphonium at the University of New Mexico, is always just one mishap away from not realizing his dreams. Student loans, expensive instrument purchases and household bills all threaten to derail him…. White’s story is inspiring, and he writes movingly about those who weren’t given the same opportunities, those without talent and a strong network, who didn’t make it.”
