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Reflectionsondiversity
CheltenhamMusicFestival'sMeurigBowenonhisstrategyforinclusion
21October20161:43pm

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Submittedby:Elinor.Cooper
A

Chineke!Orchestra

OnWednesday(19October),BBCRadio3helditsfirsteverDiversityandInclusionin
CompositionconferenceattheRoyalNorthernCollegeofMusicinManchester.Among
theconference'svariousaimswastoaddresswhyblackandethnicminority(BAME)
musiciansaresounderrepresentedintheUK'sconcerthalls,andaskwhatcanbedone
aboutit.MeurigBowen,whohasbeenartisticdirectoroftheCheltenhamMusicFestival
since2008,wasoneofthoseattendingtheconference.Herearehisreflections
DiversifytheDecisionMakersSpreadthewordaboutunconsciousbiasMaximisethevisibility
ofrolemodelsUrgentlyexploretheBAMEbackcatalogueKnowthatdeep,longlasting
changewillonlycomefromchangesintopdowninstitutionalthinkingaswellasfromearlyyears
educationupwards
ThesearesomeoftheheadlinemessagesandactionsthatItookawayfromthisthoughtfully
constructed,manyvoicedandcompactconferenceattheRoyalNorthernCollegeofMusic.Its
focuswasoncomposition,butofcoursetheinterrelatedissuesofaudiences,performersand
educationflowedintothediscussionsthroughtheday.Therewillbemoresuchgatheringsand
discussions,butthisonefeltparticularlyimportant,tideturningandliberating.Itsgalvanisingspirit
willyieldactionandchange.
Onethingaconferencelikethisdoesisencourageyoutoauditwhatyouvedoneaboutityourself,
inyourownorganisationand,ofcourse,whatyouhaventdone(yet).Ifitwereaschoolreport,
IdgivemyselfaBoraBminus,andaninevitablemusttryharder,mustdobetter.(Inmyday,
youdidntgetlowerthanaC).
InmynineyearstodateatCheltenham,wevehadthecomposer,koraplayerandcellistTunde
Jegedeasafeaturedartistoverthreeyears(educationprojectscombinedwithmainstage
concertsandcollaborations).ComposerHannahKendall,likewise,wasembeddedinour
educationworkfortwoyears,andwecommissionedanorchestralworkfromherShard,
premieredbytheBournemouthSymphonyOrchestraandconductorMartynBrabbinsinathird

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year.WehadRosemaryNaldensremarkableSowetoStringEnsembleinresidenceforaweekin
2014.DanielKidanewasanoutstandingmemberofourfirstComposerAcademyin2013(though
itwashistalentthatgothimthroughahighlycompetitiveselectionprocess,notthecolourofhis
skin).Likewise,JamesWilsonwasanequallystrikingparticipantintheAcademysthirdyear.The
CarducciQuartetpremieredaworkbyDavidnain2013,thenaPhDstudent,nowonthe
teachingstaffattheUniversityofBirmingham.LondonMusicMasterswiseandinspirational
directorRobAdediranjoinedmyadvisorygrouptwoyearsago.Andpriorityhasbeenincreasingly
giveninofferingandtakingeducationprojectstoschoolsbeyondCheltenhamwherethereis
greaterethnicdiversity.ThatplaceiscalledGloucester,eightmilesdowntheroad:curiously,
Cheltenhamsowndemographicharksbacktoa1950sstylemiddleEngland.
So,notashamefullyblankrecordtodate,butultimatelypiecemealandnotenoughtoshout
about.InnextyearsCheltenhamMusicFestival,wearegoingtodomore,anddobetter.The
bestpartoftwodaysonesixthofthefestivalwillhaveaBAMEfocus.Withafairfundraising
wind(becauseatthisstageofafestivalplanningyear,muchhangsinthebalance),wewill
welcometheChineke!orchestra,cellistShekuKannehMasonandhispianistsisterIsata,17
yearoldCheltenhampianistAdamHeronanddebatescuratedbyLondonMusicMasters.A
commissionforChineke!isunderdiscussion.
AllofthisIlookforwardtowithrelishitwillnotbepresentedastherightthingtodo,but
becausesuchcontentwillhugelyenrichtheprogrammeandaudienceexperience.Performances
byChineke!,theKannehMasonsandHeronintherecentpasthavegreatlymovedandexcited
me.AsRobAdediransays:Whenyoubroadenthetalentpool,youfindmoretalent.Youallow
freshideasandnewstoriestobeexpressed.Theartgetsbetter,andmoreinteresting.
MythinkingonthisprecedestheexcellentRadio3/RNCMconferencebyafewmonths,butithas
definitelybeensharpenedupbytheManchesterevent.ChiChiNwanokusdirectactionin
formingChineke!caninspireandemboldenusall.InterventionsareOK,becauseinterventions
areneeded.AsSoundandMusicsSusannaEastburnsaidinhereloquentpresentation,
incrementalchangeistooslowitisntenough.
Anotherthingthatisnowverycleartome:aoneoffBAMEfocusinsomethingasintrinsically
popupasafestivalisntenougheither.Ineedtoresetmyprogrammingcompassforallthe
remainingyearsIhavetheprivilegeofartisticresponsibility.Waysofthinkinganddecisionmaking
processesneedtobeadjusted,notonlytoaccommodatedirectinterventionsbuttocombatthe
unconsciousbiasweallhave,asidentifiedinAeshaZafarshugelyilluminatingpresentation.
Ihavenodoubtthatsettingsuchanewcoursewiththatalteredartisticcompasswillbe
stimulating,rewardingandfullofdiscovery,butitwillbechallengingtoo.Beinganartistic
gatekeeperinvolves,asthatlabelsuggests,toughchoicesanddecisions.Foreveryartistor
composerwechoosetobeinafestivalprogrammeorconcertseason,thereareumpteenmore
whomwehavenecessarilyhadtochoosenottobeinthatyear.Therearemanytalentedand
artisticallycommittedindividuals,somewithoutthethickestofskins,whomIhaveundoubtedly
disappointedandupsetovertheyearsthroughachoiceIhavemade.Thatalwaysweighsheavily
onme.Inallwalksoflifeartisticprogramming,thejobmarket,teamselectiontherehavetobe
winnersandlosers.
IamwhollycomfortablewiththedirectactionapproachthatwillemergeinCheltenhamfromnext
yearonwards,asIhavebeenpreviouslywithprioritiesgiventowomencomposers.AsSusanna
Eastburnputit,therewillbejoyfulembracemorethananysenseofduty.Butbecauseweartistic
plannersinevitablyhavelimitationsofprogrammingslotsandbudgets,anyshiftofartisticpriorities
willmeanmarketconditionstoughenupelsewhere:opportunitiesmaylessenforothers.Here,in
part,isthecomplexityoftheaffirmativeactiondebate.
ThisiswhyRadio3sgenderanddiversitycommitmentsaresoimportant.With168programming
hoursaweek,52weeksayear,theworldsgreatestclassicalmusicradiostationhasfarwider
scopetomakeaninstant,deepimpactthana50concert,100programmedhoursfestivallike
mine.ThatsnotmemakingexcusesinadvanceIamgoingtodomyverybesttomakea
difference.ItsimplymeansthatwhileIwontbeabletoprogrammethemallstraightaway,wecan
lookforwardsoontohearingmuchmorefromthelikesofChevalierdeSaintGeorges,Florence
PriceandUlyssesKay,andofmanyotherbackcatalogueBAMEcomposerswhosecurrent
obscuritycannotbejudgedintheusualjustly/unjustlyneglectedcategorybecausetheirswasnot
alevelplayingfield.Itisuptoallofuscurrentlyprivilegedwithartisticinfluencetoensurethatthis
canneverbesaidofPriceandKayssuccessors,aliveandcomposingnow.

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