Let’s talk repertoire:

Blake Morgan ( @VOCES8) created a detailed resource of ~30 Black choral composers on his Instagram. These pics are all screenshots from his page @/bmorganshreds on IG. Just a few examples below

This is a great starting point for me; I have much to learn.

On the opposite end - what repertoire selection practices do we need to change?

JW Pepper is still ~peppered~ (couldn’t resist) with this sort of thing. “African-styled,” “joyous multicultural original,” “traditionally styled.”

All white composers.

I don’t want to be misread as saying “stop programming all pieces by these composers” - that’s definitely not it.

I am saying that we need to stop programming “multicultural” or “world music” arrangements and spiritual arrangements by white composers.

Choose choral music written by Black composers instead, and choose it for its beauty, its rigor, and its value. Not to check a box.

Also, I definitely should have started this thread by saying this, but I am practically the furthest thing from an expert on this topic, and I’m very scared of putting my foot in my mouth.

However, it’s super apparent to me that #choirdirectors NEED to have these conversations.

I’d rather have the conversation and make a few mistakes than say nothing at all.

Please direct me to any relevant threads on this topic, and let me know your thoughts as well!

#choir #choirdirector #choirdirectors #musiced #mused