“A composer and scholar who has spoken forcefully about the exclusion of Black artists from experimental music will lead the renowned International Contemporary Ensemble,” writes Javier Hernández in Friday’s (4/8) New York Times. “George E. Lewis, a professor of music at Columbia University known for his groundbreaking work in electronics, will take the helm as artistic director later this month. Lewis, 69, a trombonist and frequent collaborator with the ensemble, will be the first Black leader in its 21-year history…. Lewis is an influential voice in the effort to ‘decolonize’ classical music, at a time when the field is reckoning with questions about racial injustice and a legacy of exclusion…. ‘There is no reason why major music institutions that tout themselves as international should continue to present all-white programs,’ he wrote in a recent essay… The International Contemporary Ensemble, with its 35 members, has long been an important outlet for modern composers—including Lewis…. Lewis will replace Ross Karre, a percussionist who after five years as artistic director is stepping down to take a teaching position at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. The ensemble was co-founded and led for years by the flutist Claire Chase.”
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