Diversity and inclusion are central to the missions of orchestras today, as the League’s 2016 Conference, “The Richness of Difference,” made clear. At the Conference, Congressman Elijah E. Cummings, who represents Maryland’s 7th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, spoke with passion and eloquence about his own journey, his connection with music, and why the arts matter.
Youth orchestras in the United States are not only alive and well, but are bringing a hands-on experience of classical music and collaborative art to an increasingly large and diverse segment of the youthful population, at multiple ages and levels of intensity. That’s the picture that emerges from Youth Orchestra Profile 2015, a new report prepared by the League of American Orchestras’ Knowledge Center summarizing results from its recent survey of League member youth orchestras.
Distinguished African-American orchestra professionals discuss their lives in orchestras today.
Inclusiveness is a goal for every American orchestra. Some progress is being made, but true diversity onstage and off remains elusive.