Nov 2020

BLOG POST

'Talking about racism and Black Lives Matter'

written by Sam Cobb, Co-Artistic Director

       In the third instalment of our 'Kitchen Sessions’ video series, we discuss racism and the Black Lives Matter movement in regards to our work as a professional music ensemble in the UK. We are a majority white British group, and the majority of the music we have performed so far has been written by white, European men, as is the convention in current British choral music performance practice.

       This is the position from which we are approaching these issues: one of privilege, operating in an industry that is desperately lacking in diversity. While research that examines inequality specifically in our field is basically non-existent, the most recent data demonstrates that ethnic minority people represent 6.7% of the workforce in music, performing and visual arts, while making up 14.1% of the overall population for England and Wales (1). I don’t think it’s unreasonable to assume that in Britain’s Choral music sector, that proportional figure is much, much lower.

‘A failure to acknowledge racism results in

a failure to act upon it and to instigate change’ (2)

       It is not the purpose or the nature of our filmed discussion or this blog post to make public declarations of outrage, or to set out a perfectly-composed plan of action to tackle this inequality. Here, we want to share with our audience this first and crucial step for us: acknowledging our position and remaining mindful of this as we embrace the challenges brought about by the anti-racist movement in 2020.

       Reni Eddo-Lodge’s brilliant podcast ‘About Race’ pointed out to me that there is a tendency to focus on the guilt, shame, or hurt feelings of white individuals that may be brought about by conversations about racism and white privilege. I have felt those emotions in my own self-examination and exploration of these issues. More importantly, I have found it helpful to acknowledge those reactions, and then move on: not allowing that initial discomfort to block my way to making active and positive change. I believe that to avoid or exempt myself from talking about racism because I am white, would be a privileged act that is only accessible to me because of my race. 

‘The uncontested status of classical music plays a key role in the ways in which

inequalities manifest themselves in its production and consumption’ (3)

       As Alex Ross stated in an article for The New Yorker earlier this year: failure to challenge issues of race in Classical music is ‘not only a moral wrong but also a self-inflicted wound’(4). Alongside carefully examining and acknowledging our situation, this is our opportunity to learn the ways in which we, as an ensemble, can think more carefully about how we approach music by artists of all racial identities. As a group hoping to push the boundaries of ensemble singing, performing music from a wide and eclectic range of perspectives is at the heart of our ambitions. We must continue to be sensitive to the music and to it’s context, and remain open to criticism if or when we get things wrong.

       It can feel difficult and uncomfortable to talk about race. Indeed, 2020 has brought about a great deal of distress, felt globally as a result of the Covid-19, for example. But perhaps by coming to terms with our discomfort, rather than fighting or avoiding it, we can focus our energies on the positive choices we can control, and move forward all the better for it.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH OUR KITCHEN SESSIONS #3

As an organisation we will continue to educate ourselves about issues of intersectional inequality in our industry, and to seek out the appropriate corrective action that is our duty to take. While we do not expect others to do any of the work for us, we greatly appreciate any feedback our audience might have regarding our video or this blog entry. Should you wish to share anything with us, please contact us directly via the ‘Contact’ page.

Footnotes:

(1) S. Malik and W. Shankley, ‘Arts, media and ethnic inequalities’, Ethnicity, Race and Inequality in the UK, Bristol, Policy Press, 2020, p.167

(2) K. Bhopal, White Privilege: The Myth of a Post-Racial Society, Bristol, Policy Press, 2018, p.159

(3) A. Bull, and C. Scharff, ‘‘“McDonalds” Music’ Versus “Serious Music”: How Production and Consumption Practices Help to Reproduce Class Inequality in the Classical Music Profession’, Cultural Sociology, 2017, 11:3, p.298

(4) A. Ross, 'Black Scholars Confront White Supremacy in Classical Music’, The New Yorker, September 21, 2020 Issue.

Bibliography and further reading:

Bhopal, Kawal. White Privilege: The Myth of a Post-Racial Society, Bristol, Policy Press, 2018.

Bull, Anna. Class, Control and Classical Music, USA, Oxford University Press, 2019

Bull, Anna and Scharff, Christina. ‘‘“McDonalds” Music’ Versus “Serious Music”: How Production and Consumption Practices Help to Reproduce Class Inequality in the Classical Music Profession’, Cultural Sociology, 2017, 11:3, 283-301

Eddo-Lodge, Reni. Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race, London, Bloomsbury, 2018

Malik, Sarita and Shankley, William. ‘Arts, media and ethnic inequalities’, Ethnicity, Race and Inequality in the UK, Bristol, Policy Press, 2020, p.167

Ross, Alex. 'Black Scholars Confront White Supremacy in Classical Music’, The New Yorker, September 21, 2020 Issue (https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/09/21/black-scholars-confront-white-supremacy-in-classical-music)

Saha, Animika. Race and the Cultural Industries, Cambridge, Polity Press, 2018

Other links:

Reni Eddo-Lodge, ‘About Race’ Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6RNwASBcNjuK4tuqdaXzBn?si=HpdnW300Rn2OcAPcSzO5sg

Music Matters: ‘Class, Race and Classical Music’ debate, 2014:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQBtZXtTayA

George Burrows: ‘Choral ballads and difficult discussions: Approaching anti-racism in choral culture’

https://musicinportsmouth.co.uk/noticeboard/choral-ballads-and-difficult-discussions-approaching-anti-racism-in-choral-culture/