“The Toronto Symphony Orchestra has announced plans to recruit and welcome 100 young musicians from underrepresented communities into its lineup next season,” writes Gilbert Ngabo in Tuesday’s (6/27) Toronto Star. “The move is a direct response to a hostile encounter University of Toronto international security professor Aisha Ahmad had last week, when she said a male patron attacked her and called her a ‘bitch’ before a performance at Roy Thomson Hall. At the time of the incident she said she was the only person of colour sitting in the section. The offender has been banned from future TSO events, but Ahmad and her colleague David Welch followed up with the symphony requesting the organization show its commitment to diversity and inclusion by reaching out to marginalized communities and welcoming them into the orchestra space. … TSO spokesperson Francine Labelle indicated the details about the initiative are still being worked out. The symphony first wants to contact music groups and gauge their interest on available programming for next season. ‘Everyone is welcome at the TSO,’ she wrote in an email, noting the symphony has different outreach and educational initiatives to reflect the city’s multiculturalism. ‘Diversity makes us stronger, and we will continue to strive to make Toronto an even better place for everyone.’ ”
Posted June 28, 2017
