Diversity, Inclusive Programming, and Music Education (part 2): Postcolonialism

This is the second of a multi-part series about Diversity, Inclusive Programming, and Music Education (for part one, click here). As this piece follows up on ideas brought up in the previous post it's suggested you read it first. Also, as I mentioned at the conclusion of that piece, it might be useful for you …

Diversity, Inclusive Programming, and Music Education (part 1)

In 2011 Tyler Thompson, a fifteen year old African American sophomore at the Oakland School for the Arts, made some waves in national and international news as a singer of songs in Mandarin. In 2004 he had already made national news for singing in a children's Chinese Opera. Here's an AP Video Piece from '11 …

Arts Funding Is Supporting A Wealthy, White Audience: Report

This is the title of a recent Huffington Post piece that discusses a study by the Washington-based National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy.  Given the demographic trends I've been blogging about, this is, as Drew McManus says, obvious.  What is also obvious is that the 'Chicken Little Think-Tank' (as Drew often refers to classical music reformists) …

Chinese Orchestras in the Bay Area

The San Francisco Bay Area is a Metropolitan region encompassing San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose as well as a number of surrounding cities and 'burbs.  With a population approaching 8 million, it is also home to one of the largest concentrations of Chinese Americans in the US at a little over half a million …

The Golden Voice of Cambodia

A few weeks ago I finally had the opportunity to watch Greg Cahill's docufilm about Cambodian vocalist, Ros Sereysothea, The Golden Voice. I was only mildly disappointed. Not for the quality of the film--it is beautifully done--but because there wasn't enough focus on, well, the music (probably also the biggest issue I had with Olivier …