NAC Orchestra's IDEA Committee and the Black Lives Matter Movement
The killing of George Floyd began a wave of protests and calls for racial justice throughout the summer of 2020 and onward. And while the main focus of the Black Lives Matter movement is addressing police brutality — especially against Black people, who are disproportionately affected by this — it has beckoned other calls to action regarding racism and racial inequities. Including structural racism that is found within institutions, or really any sort of social system.
Chris Lee, Principal Tubist of the NAC Orchestra, spoke with me about our society’s reckoning with racism. He noted that the response to the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, among many others, can be, in a way, associated with the pandemic, due to the sheer number of people following the media, at the time. Either way, there was societal anger and social unrest over the disproportionate amount of people of colour, especially unarmed Black men, dying at the hands of the police.
“I think it led a lot of different institutions to look at themselves and say: well, are we, what role are we playing? Are we making sure everyone is included? Is there any systemic racism here? Like, when you hear the Prime Minister of your country, Justin Trudeau saying: well, we have problems here in Canada with systemic racism, anti-black racism. These are not only problems in the States, and people need to become more aware of it. `And then there's just a trickle down when the leadership starts to acknowledge that as well. And so, then I think that that that led to a lot of different institutions, saying: okay, hold on, we need to make sure you know, that we are very inclusive, that we are not part of this problem of systemic racism. And I think that that would be part of the seeds of us having these different committees at the Arts Center and exploring these issues," Lee said.
In the video below, Lee speaks about the number of methods that can address chronic racial and diversity problems within the orchestra world. Which would include diverse music programming, inclusion practices, and other efforts to make people feel more welcome at the NAC.
Chris Lee is a member of the NAC and NAC Orchestra IDEA committees, which stands for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility. Regarding his involvement in the NAC Orchestra IDEA committee, Lee believes that inclusion, in the musical programing and other aspects of the orchestra, is a priority: “We want everyone to feel welcome coming to an orchestra concert. We want everyone in our community in Ottawa and all Canadians to feel included and feel like they belong at one of our concerts. And we want everyone in Canada, all Canadians to feel like they would belong as members of the orchestra, as members of the staff, and we also want the music we play to reflect our culture, the culture of Canada and of all Canadians,” Lee told me.
In the orchestral world, issues with equity are ongoing. Illustrated recently by Tommasini (2020) who wrote a piece in the New York Times recommending an end to ‘Blind Auditions’, a process in which people who are auditioning for an orchestra position are behind a screen, thus, making them anonymous. Tommasini’s argument is this: blind auditions, which may have been well intentioned, do not allow for race, gender, and other factors to be considered, instead becoming color- and gender-blind processes. And the argument that the blind audition promotes racial diversity is weak, as Tommasini points out that, at the time of their article publication, in 2020, the New York Philharmonic only had one black member: Anthony McGill, the principal clarinetist. Which is a strong example that racial equity in the classical music world is still a problem.
Karen Donnelly, principal trumpet of the NAC Orchestra, is also a member of the NAC Orchestra’s IDEA committee. While it’s important to make changes at the top of the field, such as in professional orchestras, Donnelly thinks that a global approach is needed, as well. Meaning that, to make progressive change, issues must be addressed before the professional level.
“You know, we have work to do, and the NAC is very, we're—you know, moving forward at a very fast rate, I find, and trying to find ways to strategize on how to create opportunities and try to change that cycle, you know. Personally, I believe it all starts with education. I think it all starts with access to education and access to music. And kids, young kids, you know, there could be an incredible musician out there who just doesn't have the economic circumstances that would allow them the opportunity to be given, or exposure to music in this way. So, I mean, you know, it’s a tragically terrible situation. But, you know, I'm glad that this is a positive to come out. And I think we're moving in the right direction," Donnelly said.
Donnelly, in the video below, discusses further in-detail the global approach that the NAC is making to address inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility issues. Including initiatives from the administrative and executive teams, which are then following suit to the rest of the NAC organization, including the orchestra.
Addressing racial inequity and anti-Black racism can often seem like an unachievable goal, but that doesn’t mean that the pursuit of change should not be done. Racism, itself, can also seem both complicated and simple, at the same time. Or perhaps, simple, but with a complex solution. Either way, feeling overly optimistic or pessimistic may not be the right way to go about this, either. None of this is easy, clearly, and nor should it be. And maybe that’s okay, for now, at least. Chris Lee, speaking about addressing these issues with the NAC and NAC Orchestra IDEA committees, summarizes this idea well: “I mean, we don't have the answers to any of these questions, but we're exploring them, and we're definitely committed to being a diverse, open place that's welcoming and that all Canadians feel they can belong.”