Dear American Orchestras Campaign Launch
Black Orchestral Network calls for a Day of Solidarity on Monday, May 9, 2022
New York, New York/May 2, 2022—Today, Black members of more than forty orchestras announced the Black Orchestral Network (BON). BON is a collective of Black orchestral musicians dedicated to creating an inclusive and equitable environment for Black people in the orchestral field. The group was built on the motto, “if we increase our connection to one another, we can harness our creativity and develop initiatives that benefit Black musicians.”
Seven Black musicians founded the Black Orchestral Network—Jennifer Arnold, Alexander Laing, David A. Norville, Joy Payton-Stevens, Shea Scruggs, Weston Sprott, and Titus Underwood. BON will galvanize the industry, break down barriers to inclusion, and confront long-standing inequities in treatment and process.
Dear American Orchestras
On Monday, May 2, 2022, BON launches its first public-facing campaign focused on advancing equity and inclusion in American orchestras. Through an open letter — “Dear American Orchestras”—BON calls for American orchestras to take decisive action against racial injustice in the industry. The campaign provides a platform for allies who seek a race equity culture to commit to change in the orchestral community.
The letter calls for:
Orchestras—through their Boards, management, musicians, and music directors—to hire Black musicians and support opportunities for emerging Black artists.
Funders—both institutional and individual—invest in the long-term viability of organizations already committed to Black orchestral artistry and think big about the possibilities for American orchestras in our changing culture and society.
Unions, particularly the American Federation of Musicians and related conferences (ICSOM, ROPA), to stand in solidarity with Black members by honoring the values of fair workplaces and addressing barriers to fair and equitable audition and tenure practices.
For more information, read the open letter here.
Artists, audience members, educators, music lovers, culture bearers, and enthusiasts are invited to co-sign this letter by adding your name to the list of Black orchestral musicians calling on American orchestras for change. Co-sign the letter here.
The official campaign hashtag is #DearAmericanOrchestras.
Day of Solidarity
On Monday, May 9, 2022, BON calls for a Day of Solidarity, an opportunity for allies, champions, and supporters, within the music industry and beyond to amplify the call to action of “Dear American Orchestras.” Supporters are asked to amplify the campaign by posting a single graphic—provided by BON— to their Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter timelines. The graphic will be a mosaic of the thousands of Black orchestral musicians integral to the fabric of the American orchestral community.
The “Dear American Orchestras” campaign is championed by Black musicians from some of the country’s most prominent and influential orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera, Boston Symphony, National Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony, and the Nashville Symphony. The nearly 60 Black orchestral musicians who signed the letter to date include Lucinda Ali-Landing (Violin, Chicago Sinfonietta) Dale Breidenthal (Violin, Los Angeles Philharmonic), Joseph Conyers (Assistant Principal Bass, Philadelphia Orchestra), Jauvon Gilliam (Principal Timpani, National Symphony Orchestra), Rodney Marsalis (Principal Trumpet, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia), Stephanie Matthews (Co-Founder and Violinist, Re-Collective Orchestra), Anthony McGill (Principal Clarinet, New York Philharmonic), Demarre McGill (Principal Flute, Seattle Symphony Orchestra), Eliesha Nelson (Viola, Cleveland Orchestra), Ann Hobson Pilot (Principal Harp, Boston Symphony Orchestra, retired), and Richard White (Principal Tuba, New Mexico Philharmonic). For a current list of all signatories, visit blackorchestralnetwork.org
They have collaborated with Gateways Music Festival and Working IDEAL and have received community support from the Black Music Action Coalition. The Black Orchestral Network is generously supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
"We are committed to calling out the structures, systems, policies, and practices that have had harmful impacts on the American orchestral industry," said Violist Jennifer Arnold. "Achieving equitable solutions requires questioning and dismantling of existing norms and taking collective action. We are at an unprecedented time where there are a large number of open positions in orchestras. If there is any time to attract, hire, and promote Black musicians, it is now."
"A concert hall doesn’t just amplify sound - it’s a place of cultural affirmation,” said Clarinetist Alexander Laing. “Being a Black orchestral musician or audience member shouldn’t require additional doses of isolation. We’ve seen in our own lives and practices what can happen when we increase and sustain our connection, and we’re going to scale that. We know what emerges will support Black artists and improve the state of the American orchestral industry.”
"I had a deep desire to do something that would create a radical shift in our industry. On realizing I wasn't alone with these thoughts, BON was born," said Oboist David A. Norville. "Black orchestral musicians thrive when we connect with one another, evaluate experiences, commiserate, and make a plan for intentional change. There are already many extraordinary Black orchestral organizations, and BON will serve as a highway or proxy that finds points of connection between these organizations. If we can continue to unite, the resulting agency would be transformative."
"After training and working tirelessly to be competitive in the field, I found the industry severely lacking in fundamental ways, resulting in toxic work environments, inequitable practices, and organizations that struggle to connect with the broader communities they are a part of. The art form deserves better than what is currently on offer, as do all the young musicians who aspire to become professionals," said Cellist Joy Payton-Stevens.
"The Black Orchestral Network brings together a community that will strengthen and align support for people who have historically had to endure in isolation. There are so many incredible Black musicians who have much to say with the music and even more to contribute to the field,” said Oboist Shea Scruggs. “I am excited to play a role in bringing them together to elevate and sustain their careers and stewardship of the art form."
"We see a world where Black classical artists are connected and form a rich, expressive, and culturally affirming network. The Black Orchestral Network is a vehicle for securing that future,” said Trombonist Weston Sprott. "Connection within the Black orchestral community is vital to our sense of belonging and well-being. The understanding and improvement of our experience are critical not only to our future in orchestral music but also to the future of orchestral music as a practice and the music industry as a whole."
"This is the moment the industry steps up and really pushes the truth to our audiences and confronts long-standing inequities in treatment and process," said Oboist Titus Underwood. "BON's declaration is centered around reforming the industry into an American orchestra because it can't be that while sidelining Black artistry."
The Black Orchestral Network will:
amplify the needs and perspectives of Black musicians and pressure the industry to center the Black experience (“lifting our voices”),
host a series of virtual community conversations for various sectors of their community (“cultivating community”), and
produce a podcast titled “Black Music Seen” that features Black orchestral musicians in their own voice (“telling our story”).
About the Black Orchestral Network
The Black Orchestral Network (BON) started with a theory: if we increase our connection to one another, we can harness our creativity and develop initiatives that benefit Black musicians. In the tradition of organizations like the National Association of Black Journalists and the National Society of Black Engineers, BON seeks to create an inclusive and equitable environment for Black people in the orchestral field. We see a world where Black orchestral artists easily find reflections of themselves and their complexities in the history and future of orchestral music.
Editor’s Notes
Jennifer Arnold joined the Richmond Symphony (VA) as the director of artistic planning and orchestral operations in the fall of 2019 to further her work in increasing representation on orchestral stages. Prior to her appointment, she enjoyed 15 seasons as a section violist with the Oregon Symphony and served as Director of Artistic Operations for 45th Parallel in Portland, OR. In addition to her work in Richmond, Jennifer finds immense joy as a faculty member of the Sphinx Performance Academy, performing with and serving on the programming committee for the Gateways Festival and sharing the stage with the Portland-based string quartet mousai REMIX. She is a member of ASTA, Suzuki Assoc., AFM, and the Urban League YPs and enjoys volunteering, mentoring, karaoke, and traveling.
Alex Laing, the principal clarinet of the Phoenix Symphony, is a nationally recognized speaker and an accomplished instrumental artist, his work—both as a performing artist and as an artist who teaches—represents a modern take on the orchestral practice. Passionate and curious about organizational culture, design, and learning, his practice navigates the push and pull between the tradition of a legacy art form and its unfixed future. In short: Alex is a musician who believes that "music is not just sound, it is sounds and words and people."
A graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music, David Norville has been recognized by organizations like YoungArts, Sphinx, and the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation for his merits as an oboist and young artist. David is the co-founder of the music education organization ClassiX Arts, an organization dedicated to igniting creative agency in young Black students through providing free conservatory level training, an immersive afro-centric educational experience, and cultivating a fortified ecosystem of Black classical artists. He previously served as the assistant producer for NPR’s “From the Top.” David is the director of operations and community engagement for the Boston-based concert series Castle of Our Skins. David’s work reflects his Afro-diasporic identity, his adversity, and the values instilled into him through his upbringing. As an oboist, David plays with the Sound Garden Woodwind Quintet, dedicated to “planting music in unexpected places.”
Unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, and cooperative economics undergird David’s work deconstructing race and social class through multifaceted artistic lenses. He aspires to use his platforms to economically empower artists of the African diaspora through the production of online educational platforms, multimedia concert curation, and mentorship.
Joy Payton-Stevens began playing the cello in her hometown of Cleveland when she was just four years old. She attended Interlochen Arts Academy for high school and then continued her studies at the University of Southern California under the tutelage of Ronald Leonard. She has been a member of the New World Symphony in Miami, Florida, and the Charlotte Symphony in North Carolina. She is also a long-standing member of the Seattle Symphony. Most recently, Joy earned her MBA from Columbia University. In addition to performing music, Joy is passionate about teaching music to kids and has participated in several programs to bring music education to historically excluded communities. Her other interests include cooking, reading, and most sports outside of music.
Shea Scruggs is the director of institutional research and musician experience/chief of enrollment at the Curtis Institute of Music, where he oversees admissions, alumni engagement, and institutional research. He also serves as a consultant, writer, and advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion in classical music. As an oboist, he has held positions with the Baltimore Symphony and San Francisco Opera. He has taught and performed as an orchestral player and soloist in the United States and internationally. Scruggs has performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Scruggs holds a Master of Business Administration from Cornell University, completed the League of American Orchestras Essentials of Orchestra Management program, and is a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Curtis Institute of Music.
Weston Sprott is the dean and director of the preparatory division at the Juilliard School and a trombonist in the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. His work includes performance, education, administration, and thought leadership. He is an active speaker, writer, and consultant for diversity and inclusion initiatives in classical music, regularly presenting at conferences and contributing to musical publications. Weston enjoys an exciting career that includes orchestral, chamber, and solo performances. He has performed with several of the world's leading orchestras and music festivals and has been a featured soloist throughout the United States, Europe, South Africa, and Asia. He has been recognized as “an excellent trombonist” with a “sense of style and phrasing [that] takes a backseat to no one."
Weston is a dedicated and tireless teacher who holds faculty positions at The Juilliard School and Bard College. He regularly serves on the faculties of numerous summer programs and frequently appears as a guest teacher at conservatories, universities, and other leading programs such as the New World Symphony and The Orchestra Now. He is a speaker, writer, and consultant for diversity and inclusion efforts in classical music. He is a recipient of the Sphinx Medal of Excellence and the Atlanta Symphony Talent Development Program's Aspire Award. He is the Board Chair of the Friends of SICMF, a member of the Bronx Arts Ensemble’s Artistic Advisory Board, and the Avery Fisher Artist Program's Recommendation Board. For more information, please visit www.westonsprott.com.
Titus Underwood is the principal oboe of the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Conservatory of Music associate professor, Emmy Award winner, and 2021 recipient of the Sphinx Medal of Excellence award. He received his Master of Music from The Juilliard School and bachelor's degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music. He has played with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Miami Symphony Orchestra, Florida Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony, Puerto Rico Symphony, and San Diego Symphony. Titus has also played principal in Chineke!, Gateways Music Festival, and Bellingham Festival of Music.
Underwood serves as a teaching artist for Aspen Music Festival and the National Youth Orchestras program at Carnegie Hall. He also teaches and mentors the National Alliance for Audition Support program maintained by the League of American Orchestras, The Sphinx Organization, and New World Symphony. His latest project was a short film he directed entitled A Tale of Two Tails.
SOCIAL:
Instagram: @BlackOrchestralNetwork
Twitter: @BlackOrchestral
Facebook: @BlackOrchestralNetwork
LinkedIN: @BlackOrchestralNetwork
Website: www.blackorchestralnetwork.org
Hashtag: #DearAmericanOrchestras
PRESS MATERIALS:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1rcIV-6oyQX8QwV2TcJtzO8N_Hi1C5CIc?usp=sharing
PRESS CONTACT:
Cynthia Tate
