Cultivating Community, Lifting Our Voices, and Telling Our Stories.
The mission of the Black Orchestral Network (BON) is to support Black orchestral musicians by Cultivating Community, Lifting Our Voices, and Telling Our Stories.
We see a world where Black orchestral musicians easily find reflections of themselves, and all their complexities, in the history and future of orchestral music.
BECOME A MEMBER
Membership:
AS A member of the Black Orchestral Network
Belong to a national network dedicated to supporting Black Orchestral Musicians.
Help shape initiatives that have a direct and positive influence on the community, fostering meaningful and lasting impact
Advocate for the industry to center the Black experience by amplifying the needs and perspectives of Black musicians
Community Conversations to strengthen BON’s coalition, forge stronger connections, and collectively discover our direction through conversation
Opportunities for professional development
Receive invitations to virtual guest speaker series
Exclusive newsletter
Please visit our FAQ page to learn how your organization can best support BON’s mission.
Why Join the Black Orchestral Network?
You will be a part of a dynamic organization that is charting a new course and pursuing aggressive goals.
You are joining an organization that is trusted in the community and has a proven track record of advocating for Black people.
Your membership supports programs that make a direct and positive impact on the community.
Your membership allows you to get involved and stay informed about issues that affect Black people and other underserved communities. Receive newsletters and key publications that address the concerns of the community.
Connect with other BON Members
Gain access to Community Events
Dear American ORchestras, II
A poignant open letter that outlines ten actionable steps for reform in the orchestral tenure process. Read the full Dear American Orchestras Part II letter.
"Dear American Orchestras, Part II"
Dear American Orchestras,
In May 2022, the Black Orchestral Network (BON) issued a letter calling on American orchestras and the anchors of the American orchestral community to reckon with both the history of bias, exclusion, and indignity, as well as the current realities and barriers, faced by Black orchestral musicians in sharing their extensive talents and skills. Thousands joined our call to action for American orchestras to honor and center your moral and artistic commitments: to build and sustain spaces where Black musicians’ unique artistic contributions belong and thrive; to hire Black musicians and support their development; and to fully embed and be accountable for practices that promote respect, fairness, grace, and equity.
Despite your stated desire for greater inclusion and dignity, barriers and biases persist and, in 2023, are manifest in explicit and tangible ways, including in the unfair denial of tenure to multiple Black musicians. Unfortunately, concerns about respect and fairness in the tenure process for Black musicians are both present and longstanding, extending back at least as far as Elayne Jones’s well-documented struggles in 1972.
And so, we take up the pen once again to spotlight the many failings of the tenure process…
Click the button below to read the full Dear American Orchestras, II Open letter and sign in solidarity.
POST
Share your voice in solidarity – Post your support using our Social media Toolkit
SIGN
Raise your voice for change – Sign our open letter to American orchestras.
DONATE
Donate to empower Black musicians in orchestral music
Questions?
-
Membership in BON is open to both individuals and institutions. We welcome Black orchestral musicians, music enthusiasts, orchestras, educational institutions, and anyone passionate about advancing the cause of Black musicians in the classical music industry.
-
BON welcomes supporters and allies from all backgrounds. You can contribute by attending our events, volunteering your time, making a donation, or advocating for the inclusion of Black musicians in the classical music industry.
-
No, BON is an inclusive network that welcomes individuals and organizations of all backgrounds who share our commitment to advancing equity and inclusivity in classical music. Allies and supporters play a crucial role in our mission.
-
BON actively promotes inclusivity and equity by advocating for diverse representation in orchestras and music education. We work to eliminate barriers and provide opportunities for Black musicians to thrive in the industry.
THe Black Orchestral Network is generously supported by the Mellon Foundation and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
