Mission
When students feel their presence and culture is valued, music educators have a higher chance of connecting and developing students as lifelong participants in music. YOUTH believes that students can receive quality orchestral education from music of a variety of cultures, genres and styles. We support inclusion and representation in orchestral performance by including music of composers of color as an integral part of the string curriculum from day one. Through a curriculum such as this, we hope to increase minority participation and shift the traditional image of an orchestra.
Many programs address the issue of inclusion through outreach and fellowships to underrepresented students and musicians. Along with giving underrepresented students access to quality orchestral education, we address the gap in representation through our curriculum. We believe students will continue to be life long participants of orchestral performance if they see the music of their culture as an integral part of the string curriculum. YOUTH will not only teach music of the African Diaspora but aspires to teach strings through the music of many underrepresented cultures in orchestral performance.
“A report by the League of American Orchestras with research and data analysis done by James Doeser, Ph.D found that while the percentage of musicians of color performing in American orchestras has increased, they only make up less than 15% of the orchestras population. African-Americans make up 1.8 percent of orchestras nationwide while Hispanics make up 2.5 percent.”
NBC News
Orchestral Education for the Future
While traditional orchestral education has produced some of the world’s most talented performers and composers, it still fails to inspire a large percentage of people of color to engage in and continue string performance. Traditional orchestral education misses the opportunity to engage students of color by neglecting to include the contirbutions of composers of color in music history. The music of these composers has great musical genius and should not be overlooked. Beyond the music, sharing the stories of these composers will give students examples of perseverance and strength against all odds. By giving this type of exposure in orchestral education, we aim to give all students a more diverse perspective of music history.
"I am convinced that the future music of this country must be founded on what are called Negro melodies. These can be the foundation of a serious and original school of composition, to be developed in the United States. These beautiful and varied themes are the product of the soil. They are the folk songs of America and your composers must turn to them."
Antonin Dvorak
YOUTH believes this sentiment also applies to the future of orchestral education by teaching strings through the music of diverse cultures. As we turn to our roots, we will unearth our innate sense of musicality and inspire new branches of string performance.
