The San Francisco Symphony, Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen, and (at center) Jens Ibsen, winner of the 2022 Emerging Black Composers Project, at a performance of one of his works. Photo by Kristen Loken.
In Wednesday’s (3/5) San Francisco Chronicle, Lily Janiak writes, “The San Francisco Symphony and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music have ‘paused’ the Emerging Black Composers Project, citing a [Feb. 28] memo from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights that … directed schools to eliminate [diversity efforts] or risk losing federal funding. The 5-year-old project aimed to lower some of the barriers Black composers face in establishing their careers by awarding annual winners a $15,000 commissioning fee; a premiere with the Conservatory, the San Francisco Symphony or the Oakland Symphony; and mentorship from the music directors of those organizations…. The organizations are floating the possibility that the Symphony, which is not subject to Department of Education orders, fully adopt the program … ‘The San Francisco Symphony is not impacted by this recent Executive Order and remains fully committed to ensuring that the Emerging Black Composers Project will continue,’ [the two organizations] wrote…. [A] past beneficiary advised his followers not to direct their ire at the classical music organizations but at the federal government…. Composer Shawn E. Okpebholo, who garnered an honorable mention in the award’s first year, posted on Instagram, ‘I continue to stand firmly with the SFS, SFCM, and all arts organizations committed to finding a path forward.’… For now, at least one more EBCP work will reach fruition, by Tyler Taylor, the most recent winner. ‘The San Francisco Symphony looks forward to giving the world premiere performance of 2024 winner Tyler Taylor’s new work during the 2025-26 Season,’ the joint statement from the Symphony and the Conservatory said.”
