Voices for Change in the Classical Music Profession: New Ideas for Tackling Inequalities and Exclusions

The classical music industry is responding to the challenges of #MeToo,Black Lives Matter,and other social justice movements by increasing attention to equity and diversity. This book explores inequalities in the classical music profession and introduces strategies for making change, including institutional legacies, racial, classed, and gendered inequalities, and strategies for activism. It also discusses whether musical change is necessary for social change in classical music and how activists can acknowledge structural inequalities while holding on to the possibility of change.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 352 pages
Publication date: 04 May 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

The classical music industry is facing significant challenges from the #MeToo, Black Lives Matter, and other social justice movements. While there has been a growing emphasis on equity and diversity in the profession over recent years, there is still a need for systemic change. This book explores the inequalities in the classical music profession, including racism, class, gender, disability representation, authenticity, changing the canon, and neoliberalism. It brings together analyses from academics, musicians, and industry leaders who reflect on issues of diversity and share insights and best practices.

The book addresses institutional legacies and possibilities for change, racial, classed, and gendered inequalities, and marginalised voices. It discusses strategies for activism, such as reflective practices, informal networks, or larger organisations leading change. It also examines questions such as whether musical change is necessary for social change in classical music and how activists can acknowledge structural inequalities while holding on to the possibility of change.

The book opens up the interdisciplinary field of classical music studies and lays the groundwork for empirically-founded, theoretically-informed, and practice-based approaches to tackling inequalities in the classical music profession. It will be a significant point of reference for musicians, students, classical music administrators, policy-makers, teachers, and academics, as well as anyone else who wants to make classical music more inclusive.

Weight: 522g
Dimension: 156 x 236 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197601228