A Discussion on Race and Composition

Anyway - back to the topic ...

It's interesting to see so many different viewpoints on the issues of race/ethnicity and music.

...

You naive, liberal child.

lol :D

Hmmm...I'll just start with the questions.

1: Does anyone think that if you're a composer and part of the non-majority (not White/European-descent) that it's harder to find work, network, and ultimately be known for it?

From what I've observed, absolutely not. I find many other factors play a more predominant role in how well you network and find work. Factors like how determined and focused a person is, how good the person is at networking and social elements, how talented they are, etc. I've never see someone turned down because of their race.

2: Is there a glass ceiling for minorities like myself in the amount of opportunities in music?

I've never see one.

3: Are certain races restricted to certain genres of music?

Again, I've never observed this.

4: Do you think it's hard to succeed as a minority who composes outside of their own minority-groups traditional (or even stereotypical) genre of music?

Nope. It's just how good you are.

And you had to go in and throw that line. You were doing so well until then, too! What a shame.

Semantics. Replace with the phrase of your choice. ALL of which can be debated as subjective. Isn't the larger point obvious? How easy it for someone to level a charge of bigotry against someone these days? How many artists with delusions of grandeur can claim the mantle of victim..."the world is against me!"

This topic is taken up with such solemn, 8,000 word posts. I view the topic as dubious at best. When it comes to legitimate discrimination I am the first to take it to the streets but until I see obvious "oppresion" of minorities in art I regard the premise as silly.

I wasn't actually disagreeing with you, y'know?

Hmmm...I'll just start with the questions.

1: Does anyone think that if you're a composer and part of the non-majority (not White/European-descent) that it's harder to find work, network, and ultimately be known for it?

Just make sure you make music that's based in Jazz or whatever "high-minded" music is from your culture.

2: Is there a glass ceiling for minorities like myself in the amount of opportunities in music?

Somewhat. Only because academia is "whiter" than average, and academia (of whatever sort, not all academic music comes from the ivy-encrusted halls of a university) keeps watch over certain types of music.

3: Are certain races restricted to certain genres of music?

Mention "white jazz" and see what happens. It's not a restriction, but a qualifier. People's perceptions change based on the person playing it. It's a sad truth.

4: Do you think it's hard to succeed as a minority who composes outside of their own minority-groups traditional (or even stereotypical) genre of music?

You've got marketing potential, even in ignoring race as an issue.

I'm interested in hearing your viewpoints on whether or not this is a real issues or not and the reasons why you feel that way.

J

Now, I feel it's keenly important to understand racial issues, but it's not usually an issue if you don't make it one. Of course, "not making an issue" really means "keep it white," whatever that means.

The questions asked in the post weren't meant to inflame and incite arguments or victimize a certain minority/subculture in regards to music composition. I legitimately wanted to know from others (especially those in areas of academics and higher-education) if anyone thought or perceived race as an issue in any aspect of the art. It's obvious that a great majority of you recognize that there are stereotypes within the world of music but what it boils down to the most is presence of real talent, marketability, and the bit of blind ambivalence that music seems to have on the world.

To be honest, I question anyone who chooses to write anachronistic music--music no one really cares about--without understanding the repercussions of such, no matter what race they are. I also don't think people should blatantly ignore their culture for some sort of lame reactionary reason, like not liking T-Pain or something. If anything you should fight to learn everything you can about it, not just succumb to laziness and write piano sonatas and minuets because that's what you learned about in your 7th grade youth orchestra.