A Case for DEI in Music

Organizations that I owe my career to

Happy Black History Month, family.

I’ve struggled to publicly talk about my blackness since I first started creating content in September 2013.

My blackness is polarizing and that has always freaked me out.

I’m like you: I just wanna be loved.

But reality isn’t that simple.

At this very moment, there are organizations lobbying to remove, rewrite, and reshape the history of race in our country. Here are just a couple of examples:

• In 2015, McGraw Hill, one of the biggest publishers in the U.S., called slaves brought to America “workers” in a geography textbook.

• Educators, lawmakers, civil rights activists and church leaders are banding together to teach and preserve Black history across the country.

My late grandfather, Lonnie King Jr., was a civil rights activist. He was a change-maker who spoke truth to power, enduring dog attacks, firehoses, acid thrown in his face, and myriad of other hateful things he never told me about.

I want to do my best to continue his work.

In today’s newsletter, I will share 2 stories of DEI that changed the trajectory of my life.

Programs that nurture diversity, equity, and inclusion in the arts produce artists like me. Without organizations like these, I would not be typing these words to you right now.

Programs and organizations that provide access to information, networks, and opportunities are critical change agents. After reading these stories, you’ll understand why I wouldn’t be the musician I am today without them.

1. Talent Development Program of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (TDP) changed my life.

It was a rainy afternoon in 2004. I was in the 8th grade.

My whole family was in Savannah, Georgia supporting me as I performed with the Georgia Music Educator’s Association (GMEA) All-State Orchestra.

This year’s All-State Orchestra was special to me for 1 reason:

1. The concertmaster was a 7th grade black girl that I’d never met before. I couldn’t believe that she beat out all the 8th graders. This was when I met Chelsea Sharpe, one of the greatest violinists of my generation.

As fate would have it, my mom struck up a conversation with Chelsea’s father, Earl Sharpe, after the All-State concert. He was excitedly telling her about the Talent Development Program of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and he was adamant that I should audition.

He was so serious, he ran outside—in the rain—back to his car to get a brochure for my mom. This one simple act changed my life.

Back in orchestra class, I told Ms. Moran about the TDP audition and I asked her if she could help me. She had already heard about it, and immediately committed to helping me prepare for the audition.

Everyone in my life knew that was an important opportunity. I auditioned and was accepted to the program the summer before my Freshman year of high school.

This program offered 6 critical benefits to me:

• Free lessons with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra musicians

• Scholarships for summer festivals

• Free concert tickets to see the ASO perform at Woodruff Arts Center

• Performance opportunities for donors

• Information sessions about college and career options

• A community of other African American and Latino American orchestral musicians who had similar life experiences as me. I was no longer alone.

My family didn’t come from money.

We couldn’t afford weekly lessons, or summer festivals, or monthly concert tickets.

Without the TDP, I would have never met my formative tribe of teachers and mentors like David Dillard, Ronda Respess, Daniel Laufer, Jun Ching Lin, Paul Murphy, Jere Flint, or Robert McDuffie.

Through their guidance, I began to see exactly what a classical music career would look like. I gained access to musicians who were living the life that I wanted to live (at the time).

And I was given access to all of this at no cost to my family.

Without the TDP, I wouldn’t have learned the necessary tips and tricks that allowed me to succeed in college auditions.

Hint: the trick is attending summer festivals where your dream teachers teach.

DEI works when it grants access to important networks, opportunities, and information.

Without this program, I don’t think I would have had the means to pursue the life I live today.

2. Robert McDuffie Center for Strings & Amy Schwartz Moretti

My mom left my father shortly after I started high school and became a single parent. She took on the burden of supporting two kids by working the 3am shift at Target, taking college courses online, and making sure I got to all of my rehearsals and lessons.

When it came to college, I was going to have to pay for it myself. Enter Robert McDuffie.

Robert McDuffie is an Emmy-Award Winning solo violinist from Macon, Georgia. Having studied with the legendary Dorothy DeLay at The Juilliard School, he regularly appears as soloist with renowned orchestras on five continents.

I call him Mr. McDuffie.

He is the man who planted the seed of entrepreneurship in my brain and was one of my first advocates.

The Robert McDuffie Center for Strings offers a full-tuition scholarship to students who are accepted into the program. Auditioned and was accepted into this program. This gave me access to tuition-free, world-class conservatory education.

Now, that’s what I call inclusion—sign me the f#$% up.

I’ve never publicly shared this story before.

After senior year, the plan was to go to graduate school.

I landed on 4 possible school/teacher combinations:

1. Cleveland Institute of Music with Jeffrey Irvine

2. Eastman School of Music with Phillip Ying

3. New England Conservatory of Music with Kim Kashkashian or Dimitri Murrath

4. The Juilliard School with Heidi Castleman and Hsin-Yun Huang

There was just one small problem: my day job of mopping up sweat spots and re-racking weights didn’t pay me enough. I couldn’t afford 4 roundtrip plane tickets. I didn’t think about this when I was filling out my audition applications though 😬

It’s December 2013 and Amy Schwartz Moretti, the music director of the Center for Strings, is conducting audition-prep check-ins with all of the seniors. During my turn to meet with her, I told her about my situation. I submitted applications at 4 schools, but I could only afford to buy 3 of them (this was before I had a credit card).

“Should I just pick 3 to send my audition tape to? Which ones should I pick?” I asked.

“All of them. It can’t hurt to see what happens.”

A month later, I receive word that I passed pre-screening for all 4 schools. I couldn’t believe it! All of my teachers were pleased.

One day, I was in a practice room recording myself and trying to make a quick IG video when I heard a knock at the door. Ms. Moretti asked to come in and said that she wanted to talk.

“I thought a lot about our meeting last month, and I really want you to audition for all of your schools. I think you have a really good chance at getting into each of them.”

She hands me a check.

“Let’s just keep this between us. Buy that ticket to Cleveland and take that audition. I know you can do it.”

And then she left.

This wasn’t a part of my plan. I only had the financial means to audition for 3 of the schools, and I was actively deciding on which audition I would drop.

What she did for me is a form of DEI. She saw that I didn’t have access to an opportunity, and she gave me the means to compete. That’s what it means to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.

It takes acts big and small to make a true difference.

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I…didn’t get accepted to Cleveland (sorry Ms. Moretti).

But I did get into all of the other 3. The rest is on my Instagram page #JourneyToJuilliard

Both of my stories highlight the barrier for entry that money plays in pursuing the arts. In another universe, I wouldn’t have been able to take these life-altering auditions, and the thought of that terrifies me.

Where would I be if I was never introduced to the TDP?

Where would I be if the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings didn’t exist?

If it weren’t for my beloved music director Amy Schwartz Moretti, would I have even won my Juilliard audition?

DEI is a core element of my story, and I’m thankful that you took the time to read it.

My life’s mission to live up to my fullest potential.

I want to pay forward the kindness and warmth that organizations and people have shown me.

Building In Public

• Had the chance to perform with Jason Derulo & Michael Bublé on Jimmy Kimmel. See if you can spot me behind the hot women.

• Performed 2 nights of John Williams’ music out in Palm Desert. I don’t think I’ma drink tequila again…

• 10 meetings with different colleagues, partners, and future collaborators. Things are moving below the surface!

• I’m ending my checking account with Chase Bank. They’re absolutely the worst.

wholesoul

• We recorded and shot 2 music videos of classic 90s R&B music with Nicholas Yee.

• We had a client call with someone that could fundamentally change our business for the better. I’m really hoping we can provide this service!!!

• We got a confirmation for a scoring session in March!

• Planning collaborations with 2 other artists this quarter! I love both of these women—they’re DOPE.

Talk to ya’ll next Friday!