Why I introduce Black repertoire to white spaces

A lil story about something my voice teacher asked...

I was in a voice lesson with my new teacher a couple weeks ago working on some songs I’m singing on January 23rd that are from my second album and she very innocently asked why I choose to work on Black music and introduce it to the world.

For starters I don’t think its true that white folks created classical music. It is so common to hear hints of African cross rhythms in white composers’ music AND stories of Black (or exotic (barf)) folks exist in literature from the same time period. Literature and music have always been intertwined and always a reflection of the times. So, its odd to me that we don’t have Black (or other people of the global majority) composers represented in our canons.

Secondly, it is important to me that people have access to the music they want to learn. Since the pandemic took hold of the world and George Floyd’s murder made the ignorant look up, music companies have done a MUCH better job at making music accessible and easier to find. Unshockingly, this RARELY includes music by anyone other than dead or living white men and sometimes women. When I was in college, though, I was looking for Black composers who had written songs with texts by Black people and really couldn’t find it. By grad school I’d found some white folks who were underrepresented like Cecile Chaminade & Ricky Ian Gordon, but it took me years out of grad school to source a Black aria (a song from an opera) that I could use in auditions. And I think that should change.

Lastly, as a light skinned biracial human, it says a lot for me to sing the songs written by Black people. Many Black composers have expressed a want for other races to sing their musics, but too often other races steer clear. Should white choirs sing spirituals? Moses Hogan said unequivocally YES. Should a white singer sing a set of partial spirituals like Rosephanye Powell’s ‘Then, Here, and Now?’ She says in the intro that it is meant for ALL races. My rule of thumb is that the only music inaccessible to all is music speaking on a specific experience like the Black experience (Songs of the Dark Virgin) or AAPI experience (Madama Butterfly).

Okay okay okay, not lastly (lol), it also just feels good to sing on my Black cords. I HAVE COLOR DARLINGS and sometimes that light Mozart stuff just don’t sit right mmkay?

So….what do I hope you do with this information if you’re a white or non-Black person of color or a light biracial human like me? I hope that you’ll explore and research, darlings, maybe even learn a song or 5 and present it on a concert alongside other music. Maybe have a conversation with a friend on something interesting that you’ve found in this music. And especially if you’re a music teacher, I hope you join me in diversifying the canon that is so often exclusionary of anything that isn’t white and male.