(bright music) - [Announcer] Major funding provided by the Goode Family Foundation.

(audience murmuring) (cacophonous music) (bright music) - [Andrea] I am a firm believer that when a child in elementary school sees someone that looks like them on the stage, performing something that they may not have ever thought would be possible for them in life, to see it, then they can dream it, then they can be it.

(bright violin music) (audience cheers and applauds) (audience cheers and applauds) (bright orchestral music) - [Narrator] According to a recent study done by the League of American Orchestras, Black musicians make up about 2% of orchestra musicians.

But three years ago, the Virginia Symphony Orchestra started a fellows program designed to grow that number.

- A fellow is a young musician who comes in after the audition process as a student, eager to learn, eager to spend time on stage with professional musicians where they can be mentored and guided along throughout this year.

There are a lot of people of color working for symphonies across the country, behind the scenes, but not a lot on stage.

That playing field needs to be leveled, and one of the reasons for the fellowship is to help them prepare more for that world through auditions being on stage, actually performing on stage with musicians.

(bright orchestral music) I've heard from some of our patrons that one thing that really bothers them, that when they sit and listen to the music, they don't see representation on stage.

We like to see people who look like us, and if we want to create music and bring in younger musicians, kids need to see themselves in that place in order for them to dream.

(dramatic orchestral music) If they don't see anyone that looks like them, then that doubt comes in, right?

"I don't know if I can do this.

Maybe there isn't any opportunity for me."

So you begin to get discouraged because you can't see yourself doing it.

(bright orchestral music) (audience applauds) We are trying to make a difference.

We are trying to expose students of color to classical music, to beautiful music, and to really understand that this is something that they can do as well.

(audience applauds) - And this is the future of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra and is the future of orchestras across America.

So what we have to do is continue to support these types of programs so that we continue to include everyone in our community as we move forward with our musical ambitions.

(audience applauds) - My name's Camille Jones, I'm a returning fellow.

I'm from Maryland and I play the violin.

(audience applauds) - My name's Adrian Jackson, I'm from Austin, Texas and I play the viola.

Thanks for having me.

(audience applauds) - My name is Omari Abdul-Alim, I am a returning fellow and a violinist from Seattle, Washington.

(audience applauds) - [Jafet] Hello, everyone.

I am Jafet.

I am from Panama.

This is my first year doing the fellowship with the orchestra.

(dramatic orchestral music) (choir sings indistinctly) - The VSO fellowship program is an amazing opportunity for young, brilliant artists to play with professional musicians who have been doing it and feel it in their bones.

And as far as I'm concerned, as a musician, the only way to become a professional musician, to become someone who can communicate with an audience is to do it.

And you can't just do it alone.

You have to do it with people who are gonna affect you, who are going to influence you, who are going to give you the momentum and the energy that we all need to learn as young people.

(dramatic orchestral music) - When I was younger, I did feel very constricted musically because I just didn't see people that looked like me doing the things that I was interested in.

I went to Rock Ledge Elementary School in Maryland, and it was one of those schools where they introduced instruments.

It's like wind instruments, string instruments, and you just go and pick whichever one you're interested in.

And I don't know why I had this like sixth sense that I wanted to play an instrument for like the rest of my life.

I went home that night, I looked at some music videos and I just remember being like, "Wow, like violin is sick.

That's the instrument for me.

I'm gonna learn the heck out of that."

And so that's what I did.

- For me, it started kind of based off a fluke.

I was accidentally put in an orchestra class when I signed up to be put in a choir class.

And so I sat through it for a week and I found out that I really enjoyed it.

It just felt correct.

It felt like something that I wanted to do.

I had a lot of friends and mentors and people to look up to who were super disciplined and I just wanted to be that.

I wanted to be that way and be at the same level as them.

So it just felt right, it felt natural.

- I started in music because in my family my father is musician and my grandfather is a musician too.

When I was I think three or four years old, my dad was practicing at home and I started trying to blow through his trombone and I didn't make any sound at all, but I was continually going to his practicing and trying to play with him.

I pick up the trumpet the first time when I was six years old in a band in Panama, but my brother was going into the band, so I was just waiting in there and they let me in if I can play a trumpet.

So that was like how I started the trumpet.

(gentle orchestral music) - I started playing when I was five years old.

My parents played a big part but they never were forcing me to play.

Me and my brothers, whenever we had an interest, like a genuine interest where we were showing signs that we'd be willing to work, you know, because everything takes work, that that was kind of the most important thing and then they would always find a way to make it happen.

So when I showed interest in music and in violin, my parents were like, "Okay."

(soft pensive music) - They have an opportunity to be mentored by a symphonic musician of the symphony, to receive private lessons from a musician, as well as to mentor young people.

So what does that experience look like?

What does it feel like?

They get some of that experience through the fellowship.

And it's a lifetime opportunity to learn and advance, so you know what you're getting into.

- So I am completing my second season with Virginia Symphony and at the same time I started a teaching arts residency in Pittsburgh where I teach violin and viola and also coach a hip hop orchestra at the Hope Academy.

It does mean a lot of travel back and forth, but it's pretty easy trip.

It's about 90-minute plane ride.

- I got to play these beautiful duets with Omari, and there's something so amazing about the idea that two distinct voices come together and find a shared way to understand each other.

I think it's obviously a metaphor for so much.

(gentle violin music) I remember incredible violinist took me under their wing and played a lot of concerts with me for about five years and I really learned how to be on stage.

And I just hope that this is the same type of effect we're having on fellows.

And I think as humans we tend to want to find the people that make us better.

You surround yourself with people that are great.

- I used to play a lot of commercial music, salsa, pop, meringue in Panama.

So if I can meet somebody that I really admire is Wynton Marsalis.

(dramatic jazz music) (dramatic jazz music continues) - When Jafet, you're his key role, I guess I should say.

I'm sorry to hear that.

Short time to not mess that up.

Let me see what you're dealing with.

(bright trumpet music) (bright trumpet music continues) Man, oh, you can play.

Okay, you good.

No, I'm only to give you one thing to work on.

Okay, I want you to listen to a group called the Venice Baroque Orchestra.

Get their records.

You have to listen to this music, not just the trumpet music.

- Yes sir.

- And listen to the music and I want you to play with a lot more bounce and fire.

(Wynton whistling) Whatever, you know what I mean?

- Yes, sir.

One of my teacher used to talk me about you a lot, Victor Paz.

- Oh my.

That's your teacher?

- Yeah.

- Oh man, that's my mentor, man.

Really?

You knew the great Victor Paz.

- Yes, sir.

- Oh man, You don't know how much I love Victor, man.

Don't tell him the world is some... You know how many times Victor cussed me out?

"Play in time!"

Oh man.

He passed away, unfortunately.

- Yeah.

- Damn!

Boy, you representing V-team, man.

I like what you're doing, son.

I gotta give you my number.

You gotta get in touch with me.

- Well, this is a dream come true.

- You know, my main thing is take yourself seriously.

Like take your thoughts, your ideas, your dreams, take your stuff seriously and, you know, 'cause a lot of it is uphill.

It's not like you think like glamorous, Somebody put a suit on, man, I put the suit on.

but I come down here, you know, you play, you play concerts or you're in front of people, you take yourself seriously.

So that's why when I see you, I know you, I understand, you know, I'm trying to pay attention.

But when you want to do something, do it and don't feel like you have to be less 'cause your friends or 'cause, man, whatever the media.

a teacher you have, a parent, we all have different obstacles, right?

(bright jazz music) (bright xylophone music) - [Narrator] As part of their experience, the fellows play with and share valuable insights with members of the Old Dominion University Symphony Orchestra.

On this day, the group is being led by guest conductor William McClain.

(audience applauds) - It's hard when you don't even have anyone that you can look up to to say, "Well, I know I can do it.

I see that it's possible," you know?

And it's why I am so excited about our current climate, because you are seeing more musicians of colors, as well as conductors of color and different genders and different walks of life.

(bright orchestral music) When I conduct, when I'm on a podium, I'm always thinking about what do the musicians need?

And it's about communicating the story, the drama of the music, and also helping the musicians to have confidence and problem solving.

So I grew up loving gospel, loving even hip hop and rap.

But classical was a option right alongside those styles.

And was very interested in classical music early on because my mom studied the piano.

So I would sit underneath the piano as a little boy and watch her take lessons and wish I could play someday.

(bright orchestral music) I played in professional orchestras for 20 years, you know, and the first five or six of those years was just as a violist, not as a conductor.

So my first major gig came with a Syracuse Symphony in New York and I was still a graduate student, and I played under some really great conductors, who I learned from without even realizing yet that I was learning from them.

Let's put an extra accent right before the half note.

(William vocalizing) My first major conducting post, that would be at Georgia College.

I was a assistant professor of music there and I helped grow that program and develop it for five years.

And then that eventually led to the opportunity to conduct the Milliken Decatur Symphony Orchestra where I am now.

And just this summer I won the position for music director of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra in Indiana.

So that's probably my biggest post to date.

Those three positions took 20 years, and I've watched my colleagues who are not African American make that journey in five years.

So I know that there have been doors that have not been opened and that has been a struggle.

And whenever I mentor and I talk to other conductors, you know, I just tell them, "Just keep pounding at that door.

Don't let anyone squash your dream."

(bright orchestral music) What took 20 years, I'm now getting positions every other year and partly is now, you know, we have social media, we have people like you, the press, and so my name's getting out there, people can see me and, you know, it's much easier now to show that I bring quality to an orchestra.

- As an artist, part of what I do is to see how I can impact the people around me in a serious way.

So I really enjoy what the program is, just how we go into communities and different organizations and see what we can do to help.

- The capstone project really was significant in that even at the professional level, it takes a different type of initiative to decide to be a like community activist through your art.

So the fact that that was a requirement for our program, I think, really added depth to our growth.

- What are some of the ideas you guys have?

- I've always thought that's giving them a lifelong experience of raising money, because some of those fellows may not actually play for a symphony, but they may continue to do work for a symphony.

But also I want them to give back.

- So the purpose of the Capstone project is for you guys to get some of the arts administration piece, some experience with that.

'cause a lot of times even people who are performance majors end up working in administration.

So we just want you guys to have like a full picture of some of the behind the scenes work that's needed to put on some sort of artistic project.

So this meeting is supposed to be like brainstorming.

Everybody is able to help but you guys have to initiate it and just own it.

Last year, Camille, Tyler and Avery, they did their capstone project together, and it was excellent.

It was called "Artistry for the Soul."

And you wanna talk about kind of what the end result was?

- Yeah, so we put on this recital, we invited the students from Booker T. Washington High School who we were fundraising for, we performed works by various different Black composers from the 20th century and onwards.

And we ended up raising over $4,000.

(bright chamber music) - So we are a Title One school, so a lot of our students don't get the opportunity to take private lessons.

Title One means that you are in a certain demographic and socioeconomic group.

So when the fellowship opportunity came about, I thought this would be ideal for our kids, and many of our students were totally excited about it.

I have eight students interested for private lessons with four violin, two violas, a cello and a bass player.

We partnered with the Academy of Music and those teachers are gonna teach our students for the entire full year.

So our kids are really excited about that opportunity.

I'm so over the moon about that.

- [Narrator] Kya Wiggins was one of several Booker T. Washington High school chamber musicians who benefited from the fellows capstone fundraising efforts.

Funds raised pay for her private lessons.

- Kya came to us from Northside Middle School.

She loves violin.

Kya was in my concert or July school year this year, she's my chamber group, and she was one of the students, when I said that we can get our students lessons, she was the first one to raise her hand.

(audience applauds) (wind chimes clinking) - They paid for the lessons that she has here with Heather.

Even the very first violin that she got, it was given to her because of her middle school teacher who recommended her.

- Path, and the purpose of this is I want you to get the balance of the hand leaning towards the pinky.

You gonna try that?

- Okay.

(bright violin note) - [Heather] And then when you come off, (bright violin note) lean towards the pinky side.

- Okay.

(bright violin note) - Good!

That was really good.

Now land close and it goes up again.

- Classical music is what I wanna do.

Like I wanna sit in front of like a stage and play for like an hour, like hard symphony music with an orchestra behind me, concerto, stuff like that.

(bright violin music) When I graduated from elementary school, I did a camp in the summer 'cause I was gonna play the violin, just 'cause I just wanted to see what it was like, and I did it and it was fun.

And so I learned so much that year.

I figured out that I wanted to keep doing orchestra.

- [Heather] I want you to visualize your second finger.

- And then Ms.

Burns asked me if I wanted to do Lessons the Academy.

So I was like sure.

And then I got assigned to Heather.

Hannah was my teacher and she is amazing.

She's very encouraging.

She always encourages practice and she tries to push us a lot because from what I've been told, she sees a lot of potential in me.

And I love doing this program and I love the benefits that I get from orchestra.

(bright violin music) - The fact that we don't really see those people, who really that look like us, play this type of music that I don't really hear about them coming to the schools or talking to kids who are in orchestra and letting them know that there is opportunities outside of high school or there's opportunities that where you could really shine, and find your love and passion for it.

'Cause when we go to the symphony, I be like, "Babe, Kya, that's a Black girl on the cello, you know, that's a..." I point those people out because I need her to see that she can do it too, you know?

- [Kya] Yeah, it definitely does give me a boost of like confidence.

If she can get there, I can get there.

Two, three, four.

- How exciting is that for Kya to know that she's received money that's gonna help further her dreams through the fundraising that was done.

I'm so proud of the fellows for even wanting to help.

That's pretty amazing.

That's gonna make the difference in her life and in her future.

I'm excited for her.

- [Narrator] As the current class of fellows journey nears the halfway mark, they decide that their capstone project will benefit the Norfolk Street Choir.

♪ Hallelujah ♪ - [Narrator] The Norfolk Street Choir supports people who are currently unhoused or have been in the past.

It was founded in 2016 by Virginia Symphony Orchestra conductor, Robert Shoup.

This talented group of singers engages, encourages, and supports the local community through music and community service.

(bright string music) - For our collaboration with the Norfolk Street Choir, we were thinking of taking in donations of toiletries, like deodorant and toothpaste and toothbrushes, things that people could use.

So anything that we could accept that would help with their cause, with what they're doing in the community essentially.

- [Person on the Phone] Okay, that'll be good.

- So we have the music set, essentially, that we want to perform.

We just can start getting like I think names of musicians, getting things out to them and getting them dates and stuff so they can put it in their calendar.

- Well, I have a question for Camille.

How many rehearsals did you do last year?

- [Camille] I wanna say like at least four rehearsals and then we did have a dress rehearsal.

- After we know the rate of the musicians, we can make sure how many rehearsals we can have.

- Certainly like the piece I'm playing with piano, I can do like a few less rehearsals, just because it's not one of those things you need to rehearse a ton.

Like this group is solid in two parts, and then I played it before too.

And I think the piano part is pretty readable.

- I don't think Camille is playing with piano, so.

- Yeah, are you doing solo music or is it violin and piano?

- [Camille] I'm doing solo violin.

- Okay.

So that will help us.

And I kind of think if we lock down the space and the musicians we wanna work with, everything else will fall into place.

Like we can still have time to make different piece selections and stuff like that.

- Yeah, we want you to come in the opposite, understand- - Doing the whole process.

- The whole process.

Yep.

So I will, that'll be my assignment to schedule with Smith.

(dramatic chamber music) We wanted to let you guys meet early so you can talk to him about like the best way to market your capstone.

- Our program is called "Classical Music Declassified."

The word classical has a stigma associated which is very stuffy.

People usually think of white European men.

The program is supposed to just like highlight how other more diverse composers have also incorporated classical music into their personal style.

- Is it a free event?

- [Omari] Yeah.

- So who does the press release?

- Yeah, that sounds like a lot.

- It's not a lot.

We'll give you an example and you'll be like, "Oh," you have to describe what's happening, to have at least a quote, because it needs to be written in third person so it needs to be ready to go to be print ready.

What about program?

Have you seen the new program?

Like the program is half as long as it was, because there's no bios or program notes in anymore.

And so every program page has a QR code to go to the digital version.

- So if they did maybe a one pager with just the order and then have the QR code on the one pager so it serves both purposes.

You'll take something home with them but it won't be like five pages worth of stuff.

- Like an easy like- - Yeah.

- Everything to print out.

- Yeah, that's a good idea.

(bright festive orchestral music) (bright festive orchestral music continues) (bright orchestral music) - [Narrator] The new year finds the fellows on stage for the symphony's annual MLK concert.

During the performance, prominent musicians of color, including conductor, Everett McCorvey, and bassist, Noah Lawson owned the moment.

(dramatic orchestral music) - You have young people out in the audience and some of them know what their passions are, some of them are trying to find their passions.

What advice would you give to them?

- I'd say, well, first of all, follow your passion.

There is an endless supply of resources out there for you to help contribute to your goal and really stay towards your dream.

But on top of that, stay committed.

Every single thing in life has its ups and downs.

Everything sucks at one point and then it gets really good at one point.

(audience applauds) And then it sucks all over again.

(audience laughs) But, most importantly, stay committed.

No commitment means you haven't reached your dream and if you stopped, then you've already failed.

(audience applauds) (bright orchestral music) - [Narrator] Spring brings a particularly stressful exercise for the fellows: mock auditions.

- I think for me, the blind auditions are nerve wracking.

You are behind the screen but you don't know who's sitting there judging you.

And you've worked on that piece and they are looking for a different nuances in what they're playing and how well they're playing.

The fact that you're being judged, it is nerve wracking.

- It's your first time experiencing what the pros go through just to land a job.

It's very different from an interview.

You're not answering questions, you are basically selling yourself just with your sound.

So anticipating all of that is, yes, very anxiety inducing.

- With orchestra auditions usually you just play and you find out like later whether you've like advanced to the next round or whatever, but you don't usually get feedback.

So they provided these mock auditions so that you can actually get some kind of critical feedback about your playing.

(pensive trumpet music) - Sometimes it's difficult to get into that position, when you know that there is people listen to you, but not to just enjoy how you're playing, but they also need to judge and make suggestion or comments or if you're playing.

So that gives you a little bit of more nerve in that moment.

- 'Cause Alex, Noah likely for us at the end of each, for comments (murmurs).

- [Presenter] Committee, this is trumpet candidate number one.

(pensive trumpet solo) (pensive trumpet solo continues) (gentle violin solo) (gentle violin solo continues) (gentle violin solo continues) (somber violin solo) (pensive violin solo) (pensive violin solo continues) - Well, I think it's a good idea that here in the fellowship we have the opportunity to have that feedback right away in that moment.

Because sometimes we judge ourself a little bit too hard and have people in there that can give comments in the right way.

I think that helps a lot.

- It's a good opportunity that the VSO provides and, you know, I do appreciate that we get such a variety of perspectives, 'cause this time we had brass players on our mock audition panel which was different.

So it was interesting getting to hear how my performance came across to like the non-string players.

So that was different data that I hadn't received before.

- This is something we've been talking about with both Jafet and Camille as well, as whatever you think you're doing might not be enough for people behind the screen.

So even more dynamic contrast, even more phrasings.

Dave used the term stage makeup, so just more stage makeup and the bow consistency.

- [Person] Alright, thank you everybody.

Yeah.

- Mock auditions are very important, but there's nothing like the actual pressure of preparing for a performance.

Just getting acclimated to such a more rigorous schedule, I think, was very beneficial.

Just since the house is open.

It's so important to have the experience of playing with professionals.

It's very different from what you go through in college and grad school.

There's a huge gap that has to do with preparing auditions, basically being a strong site reader and having good etiquette in rehearsal and taking what you learn in your rehearsals and your sight reading and being able to turn that into efficient practice.

- When I was in Panama, I always remember watching the National Symphony Orchestra.

It's the only one that we have in Panama, so it was really nice to attend the concerts and listening to the orchestra and now playing with the professional orchestra as a fellow is just great.

Since the first rehearsals when you sit there and everybody's prepared, and the conductor just move the baton and everything sounds like a recording is nice, is different than being in school.

The professional (indistinct) is like (puffs).

- You only have, you know, maybe a week, maybe, I think, we started rehearsing "Star Wars" on Friday.

Yeah, and it's Sunday, so it's a quick turnaround with a lot of these concerts.

So it's very important that you experience that.

(drum roll) (20th Century Fox theme) (20th Century Fox theme continues) You have to really be in tune with your body, like how you're feeling, and your mind, but also like you need to be settled emotionally and physically, and that takes time, recovery time, and it's really about quality over quantity.

I stay with the Winters.

They have been just very generous patrons for VSO and for all of us fellows.

I am currently playing violin that's been in their family for a while.

(dramatic orchestral music) - We as the Virginia Symphony are trying so hard to recognize and bring possibilities to our stage and to our audience and to our musicians.

Schools have to foster, elementary schools, middle schools, high schools have to foster this and of course families have to foster this.

(gentle orchestral music) - Most of my study of music came through the public schools, which I have a lot of pride about, you know, in terms of the accessibility of music.

Not everyone has the money to take private lessons, and so those school programs in the public schools are very, very crucial.

- Two be together.

Ready, 1, 2, 3.

Three.

(brass instruments blaring) - [Andrea] Our fellows also have opportunities to mentor other young musicians.

And to me that's very powerful.

- [Teacher] And on.

Okay?

So try that again.

Try that again.

- I think what can be done to change, like the way that classical music looks in terms of the people that are in the space is kind of by nurturing the education in underrepresented communities, especially in schools.

Sometimes I find that as like an inner city student, like in these programs that have a lot of Black and Brown kids, there isn't much teaching or high level teaching or seriousness of teaching for those kids that look like me.

So I think going into school programs and boys and girls clubs and the places where there are young Black and Brown kids and showing them these opportunities at a high level with seriousness really helps.

That first measure is really simple, right?

We clapped through it.

Like when I'm looking at pieces that are really hard in orchestra, I kind of like to cheat a little bit.

I like to go straight to the hard stuff.

I feel a little bit of an obligation to teach in some way just to like pass down what has been taught to me.

I think that's kind of what people do, especially like minorities in this country.

It's like so much is like what was taught to your family, they teach to you and you kind of hold onto those values.

One and two and ready, go.

(soft violin notes) Rest, rest, rest.

The reaction when I go into schools and kind of show what it's like to be an African American playing a classical instrument, it's a little bit like awe struck of kids that look like me.

Sometimes they don't see people in those spaces doing things that are so close to them.

You'll see someone on TV or someone in a magazine.

But to have someone you can speak to that looks like you, that does something different that you haven't thought about before, I think kind of opens up the possibilities for yourself.

So you can kind of see like the spark lit in a kid's eye.

That was much closer.

Can we try just that measure one more time thing?

I think like as a person who like is studying music and is serious about it, you have to make sure you're not applying that same type of pressure onto kids who aren't serious about it yet.

So I think just like trying to instill the idea that this is fun and it's kind of like your second home away from home and escape is better than trying to create these perfect musicians at that age.

(bright violin music) 1, 2, 3.

Good, good, that was really well together.

(bright trumpet solo) - Let's try to wait until the end of the first note and then you go to the other.

(bright trumpet solo) 1, 2, 3.

(fingers snapping) When they realize that they make that improvement, that they understand like, "Okay, like I made it, I know how to play like that now," it's more than that feeling when they enjoy what they are doing that give me the excitement of, "Okay, I like this.

I like to teach, I like to be involved in music with other people."

(soft brass music) Okay.

Try to blow more air going down.

So there is no like a glissando in between two notes.

(soft brass music) Really clear After 4.

1, 2, 3 and- (soft brass music) Okay.

(pensive violin music) - Very nice tone and counting.

Excellent.

I think one thing that might help, for pickups up bows, that way when we get to one is a down bow.

Can you try that one more time just starting with up bow?

I think just seeing more people of color playing the music that we already love is just a huge invite because, you know, music is a universal language so we will find stuff that we love in all cultures, but it kind of takes that extra representation to kind of activate it within ourselves, activate it within students to say, "Oh, I could do that."

How many eighth notes are in a half note?

- [Students] Two?

Four?

- Yeah, there's four.

I would say the age is 12 to 14, extremely transitional.

As violin teacher, like that is the danger zone in terms of when students are swamped with a whole bunch of new responsibilities like high school, whatever extracurriculars they have going on, including violin, and so I think just with that, students have to decide how much they want to dedicate to it.

I had to let go of basketball going into high school.

(bright trumpet music) (bright brass music) (bright trumpet music) (bright brass music) (bright trumpet music) (bright brass music) - And then first piece.

- Okay.

Then when will he... Is there another last spot?

- Oh, that same time.

The same time with you.

- Okay, I'll go first.

(bright brass music continues) (people laughing) (audience applauds) - Thank you all for coming out to our fellows capstone projects, "Classical Music Declassified."

So tonight, the fellows and I, Adrian, Jafet and I will be presenting our final project.

(gentle chamber music) (gentle chamber music continues) The title of this year's capstone "Classical Music Declassified" is the sort of play on words.

I find that classical music, especially to those outside of the genre, it tends to have this sort of exclusive, haughty stigma attached to it, which can further be perpetuated by the lack of diverse representation on our stages and in the music that we as classical musicians perform.

(bright chamber music) So tonight on the program is a quartet by the composer Florence Price.

So a little bit of history, brief history about Florence Price.

She was born in 1887 in Little Rock, Arkansas.

She typically weaves together her classical training with the sounds of spirituals, church music, and American idioms that reflect the modern world.

She was the first African American woman to be recognized as a symphonic composer and has composed over 300 works.

(gentle chamber music) (pensive trumpet music) (pensive trumpet music continues) - As we close this evening's program, I wanted to take a moment to thank the many hands and hearts that help bring this rec title to life.

This performance is more than just a musical event.

It's a part of a mission to celebrate the power of community, uplifting voices that have long been underrepresented and the use of music as a bridge for healing, understanding, and connection.

(audience applauds) (gentle orchestral music) - [Narrator] With so much attention being placed on diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, the symphony has decided it best to change the name of the program, but not its focus.

- We no longer say students of color because of the funding that we receive.

DEI is considered Black.

And it's not.

So we're seeing underrepresented.

And I'm telling you my team and I had long hard conversation, but I wasn't willing to take the chance of losing funding because it said African American specifically.

So it's now underrepresented is opening up to students regardless of what ethnicity that student is.

And I hope and pray that it will not decrease the number of Black applicants.

I feel like the reason why we're underrepresented is because the opportunities haven't been given or available to students of color.

So the playing field is not actually level, and these fellowships were created to level that playing field.

I hope that the field becomes more level for all students, but especially students of color.

- [Narrator] As for the program's success, it continues to make a difference in the lives of the early career musicians it nurtures and guides, as well as the musicians of the future who are instructed and inspired by the fellows and all they pour into the community they temporarily call home.

(somber music) - Seeing the fellows go into practice has motivated students.

That makes me so excited, because now those students are seeing a couple of things that could be them, but they're motivated to work.

And it's all about doing the work.

Having those fellows going into elementary schools, into middle schools, mentoring and working with those students and having students get excited because they have someone that looks like them, showing them what to do, that makes me excited.

We have a student playing with the Billings Symphony in Billings, Montana, one with the New World Symphony in Miami, Florida, and another with Orchestra Now in New York.

And then there's several fellows who are subbing with other symphonies, one with the Nashville Symphony, and we have one who subs with both the Richmond Symphony and Virginia Symphony Orchestra.

So seeing them actually do the work and being a part of a symphony, hey, I'm excited.

So we're doing our job.

They're getting work, they are getting paid as professional musicians.

Yes.

(pensive music continues) - At this time, let's welcome to the stage Camille Jones, who plays violin.

Let's give her a hand.

(audience applauds) Adrian Jackson, viola.

(audience applauds) Jafet Diaz Martin, trumpet.

(audience applauds) And Omari Abdul-Alim, who plays violin.

He's not with us tonight, but we wanted to honor him.

- We know they will go out and win amazing jobs, become artists and musicians throughout their entire life.

We hope they stay here with us of course, because they're so incredible.

(audience applauds) - [Person] This is your last classics concert, so we wanted to honor them with the reception.

So if we could start with Eric on your toast.

- Thank you so much for giving so much to this orchestra.

I feel like, you know, we wanted to be able to, you know, we wanted to be able to give you something and to take away... But I think, quite obviously, your energy and your awesomeness has lifted up the orchestra so much.

So thank you both so much.

(group cheering and applauding) - So my time with the symphony has ended and my prayer is that the symphony will continue to do the work that it's done in the past, and that is telling stories through music for everyone, identifying various cultures and identities and just opening the door for every single person in our community, regardless of race, ethnicity, and just be welcoming.

(light violin music) - [Narrator] As one movement concludes with this class of fellows prepared to step confidently into various orchestral careers, the Virginia Symphony raises the baton for the next class of fellows, three young musicians eager to begin their journey down this well scored path.

(light violin music continues) (audience applauds) (gentle trumpet music) (gentle trumpet music continues) - My ultimate goal is play the trumpet at the highest level possible and also share my knowledge with other people.

(dramatic violin music) (dramatic violin music continues) - The ideal for me is having artistic freedom in my music and not feeling super bound to like one specific type of music or one type of play style.

(cheerful violin music) (cheerful violin music continues) - There's a certain level of just being kind to people and them wanting to work with you that like makes you an attractive orchestral player.

And I think that's really important to like, just make sure you foster those relationships and think about it's not enough just to be a talented musician.

You have to be talented and like easy to work with.

(dramatic violin music) (dramatic violin music continues) - I can see how much it's benefited my playing and my career just to be a part of Virginia Symphony.

You know, we can kind of point to programs like these and say, I mean, but it's doing great things.

It is making a difference.

I don't know where I'd be, my career would be very different if it weren't for this fellowship.

(dramatic violin music continues) (gentle orchestral music) (gentle orchestral music continues) (gentle orchestral music continues) (gentle orchestral music continues) (soft music) - [Announcer] Major funding provided by the Goode Family Foundation.

(dramatic orchestral music)