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The unfinished dream
WHAT HE DOES “We call ourselves an activist orchestra,” said Eun Lee, the executive director of this New York-based ensemble, which was founded in 2014. “We use classical music as a way to engage audiences on issues of social justice.
As such, said Lee Bynum, chairman of the board, The Dream Unfinished is designed to be agile enough to respond in real time to, say, election season or last year’s Black Lives Matter protests. . On February 23, the group plans to expand into YouTube programming with an event on the assassination of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. and its effects on black musicology.
LESSONS LEARNED “You can’t take on a challenge that hasn’t been identified,” Bynum said. “You’re talking about a deeply rooted story, and that can’t be resolved through programming. But you have to start by identifying the reason why certain audiences are not participating. “
Lee added, “Art institutions really need to tackle anti-racist work from as many different angles as possible, and have a plan to address these angles strategically and sustainably. “
Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra
WHAT HE DOES In the mid-2000s, Jeri Lynne Johnson was struggling to find work as a conductor. After an audition, she recalls, a man told her that while she was clearly talented, she – a black woman – would be too hard to sell to the public. So she formed her own orchestra.
Johnson said his ensemble, which is based in Philadelphia, is one step ahead of diversity only because “we live the work.” Its community engagement is defined as “inreach” – creating as many avenues as possible to bring children especially into the world of classical music. “The point is to make the creative process easier,” Johnson said. “What I want to do is give people a taste of the feeling and the power of what it is.”
LESSONS LEARNED “The most important thing that these legacy institutions really need to consider is: Who do you serve? Johnson said. “And they have to be honest about it. If they really want to serve the past and the tradition and keep that going, then do it. If you decide to serve the present and the future, it starts a cascade series of questions. “
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