Learning about racial equity has required me to do the hard work of investigation and self-reflection. I am embarrassed to say that I never really questioned why there weren’t more black classical composers. Of course, once I started investigating, I found there were many! And yet, why hadn’t I ever heard their names, listened to…

In the coming weeks we will present an article and a listening feature to further investigate and learn about systemic racism and classical music. We will present this entry next week as well to allow for adequate time to read and listen. Have you ever wondered why American classical music is so white? This article…

When the MSO Racial Equity committee started work last summer, one of the first things we did was watch, and listen to, several discussions among Black musicians who are working in the Western Classical Music world. Hearing directly from these musicians was very instructive for me. They share so much common experience with me in…

This week we’ll be reading “The Stubborn Classism of Classical Music,” a thoughtful article by Robert Jackson Wood that traces the history of classical music performances, how they evolved into elitist events, and how that lingering elitism makes classical music less accessible to families who earn less than the median American income — especially families…