Resources for Inclusive Music Teaching
After seeing so many wonderful resources being exchanged among our colleagues, I figured I’d put them all in one place so they could be more easily accessed. This list is meant to be shared...and grown. So, if you’ve got something you feel should be included, send it my way and I’ll take a look. Let’s keep doing that good and necessary work, y’all.
African American Artsong Alliance
“The home of interchange between performers and scholars interested in art song by African-American composers. Here you will find information and links to assist with your discovery of our contribution to song.”
African Diaspora Music Project
“A compilation of original works by composers in the African Diaspora.”
The AfriClassical blog, is a great (and tenacious) list to subscribe to.
The American Spiritual Ensemble
A choral ensemble of virtuosi whose mission is “to preserve and continue the tradition of storytelling through the performance and preservation of the American negro spiritual.”
Beyond Elijah Rock: The Non-Idiomatic Choral Music of Black Composers
An incredible database of non-idiomatic choral music by Black composers compiled by Dr. Marques Garrett (who is a wonderful composer as well!).
I contacted him about putting together a free Spotify playlist for any educator who wants to take a look and he graciously said, “yes.” That playlist can be found here. I also went on a research spree and added a ton of other Black composers I found that weren’t on his list yet. There’s 12.5 hours on it, so you can just hit ‘shuffle’ and see if something catches your ear.
“...a living collection of books, articles, documentaries, series, podcasts and more about the Black origins of traditional and popular music dating from the eighteenth century to present day. Resources are organized chronologically and by genre for ease of browsing.”
“…for any music educator looking to get an idea of how best to instruct a transgender student in their music classroom. The information…[is] a combination of research-grounded material and [anecdotal] experiences from [the perspective of] an educator, musician, LGBTQ+ advocate, and transgender woman.”
Coalition for African Americans in the Performing Arts
An organization whose “vision is to help promote opportunities for Black classical musicians and others in the performing arts through arts performances, education, and outreach.”
Composers Diversity Collective
A collective which exists “to eliminate the industry’s challenge to find music creators of diverse backgrounds, and to increase our own awareness of each other.”
A podcast about “all things classical music and being black in the profession.”
“Cultural Appropriation: From Culture Stealing to Culture Sharing”
A brief article by Eugene Holley Jr. based on composer Rollo Dilworth’s thoughtful research on the topic. If you’re a ChorusAmerica member, Dr. Dilworth’s presentation is also accessible behind a paywall.
A beautifully-designed, visual project by The Pudding which aggregates music from around the world. Provided they have internet access, students can explore what “popular music” means to different cultures.
“Helping music educators develop critical practices through research, training and discourse to build a more equitable future.”
“We embrace a broad definition of early music, to include medieval, Renaissance, baroque, new music composed for old instruments, Eastern traditions, and folk music. Exploring the connections between these various styles and traditions is at the heart of this project.”
A bibliography assembled “to encourage music scholars to engage directly with issues of cultural politics—race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, class, intersectionality, decolonization, and disability—in their research and teaching. [It] especially highlight[s] scholarly work that confronts the centralized, historically Eurocentric and heteropatriarchal framing of North American music theory.”
“The Global Jukebox explores connections between families of expressive style. One can travel the world of song, dance and language through the Wheel Chart and the Map. Thousands of examples of the world’s music, dance and other expressive behavior are available here. The Global Jukebox is presented as a free, non-commercial, educational place for everybody — students, educators, scholars, scientists, musicians, dancers, linguists, artists and music fans can all explore expressive patterns in their own cultural-geographic and diasporic settings and alongside others’. By inviting familiarity with many kinds of vocalizing, musicking, moving, and talking, we hope to reconnect people and communities with their creative heritage and to advance cultural equity.”
“...an ambitious effort by an international collaboration of scholars to see the world whole, c. 500 to 1500 CE, to deliver the stories of lives, objects, and actions in dynamic relationships and change across deep time...to see what the planetary past looked like when teaching was not carved up into disciplines and departments, or bound by area studies and regional studies.”
An array of resources for those who are “interested in teaching music history more inclusively.”
“...an initiative that seeks to record, perform and promote the music of women, minorities, and other marginalized and neglected composers throughout history.”
Institute for Composer Diversity
“The Institute for Composer Diversity…is dedicated to the celebration, education, and advocacy of music created by composers from historically underrepresented groups through database resources and programming analysis.”
If you’re going to use this database, you should know that it has its critics. In order to understand how folks see the ICD as occasionally problematic, I’d suggest reading this brief essay by composer Eris DeJarnett.
List of Pieces to Be Reconsidered or Removed (2020)
A list of works—choral, concert band, marching band, orchestral, etc.—compiled by Kelsey Gamza that are problematic. “This document is not meant to be an exhaustive list of problematic songs. The purpose of this document is to advocate to music publishers and distributors to rethink the way racist songs are marketed and sold. Many of these songs have descriptions such as ‘delightful’ or ‘fun’ and many are a part of the JWPepper Editor’s Choice list (as recently as 2019). I tried to provide links to original sheet music, if available, to allow the original lyrics or contexts to speak for themselves. If necessary, I provided context for the song's presence on this list in the notes column.”
Melanated Moments in Classical Music podcast
“...a new podcast [that]...shines a spotlight on musical works composed by, for, and about Black people. Melanated Moments is hosted by international opera soprano Angela Brown and music sociologist Joshua Thompson. Angela and Joshua’s chemistry is electric, balancing fun, lively commentary with no-nonsense straight talk. Telling history like it is, Angela and Joshua share a deep commitment to be a voice for Black artists, as Black artists.”
Method Book Pieces to Be Reconsidered or Removed
“This spreadsheet was first assembled on 7/22/20. It is by no means exhaustive nor academically reviewed. It is simply a starting place to rethink the way racist works are marketed, distributed, and taught… This document is not meant to be an exhaustive list of problematic songs. The purpose of this document is to advocate to music publishers and distributors to rethink the way racist songs are marketed and sold, and taught. We tried to provide links to original sheet music, if available, to allow the original lyrics or contexts to speak for themselves. If necessary, we provided context for the song's presence on this list in the notes column.”
A project “to help rectify historic and ongoing racial injustices in the classical music sphere.” It includes:
This site features female composers from the pre-Baroque to the 21st century as well as a great listing of theorists stretching all the way back to the 3rd century BCE. They’ve also got a really cool set of classroom posters featuring composers highlighted on the site!
From its creators: “We strive to elevate women composers and theorists by advocating for the study and performance of their works and providing high-quality easily-accessible resources that bring light to the often overshadowed contributions of women in music. We envision a musical culture where all musicians, regardless of gender identity, feel represented, valued, and empowered.”
Music Theory’s White Racial Frame
A compelling and informative blog by Dr. Philip Ewell that he launched “in order to seek racial, gender, and social justice in the field of music theory.”
“Canada’s first professional choral group dedicated to Afrocentric music of all styles, including classical, spiritual, gospel, jazz, folk and blues.” Its namesake is Canadian-American Black composer R. Nathaniel Dett.
National Association of Negro Musicians
The “country’s oldest organization dedicated to the preservation, encouragement, and advocacy of all genres of the music of Black Americans.”
“Promoting Equity: Developing an Antiracist Music Theory Classroom”
An article by Dave Molk and Michael Ohnona which includes some ideas on how to develop an anti-racist music classroom.
“…a volunteer, [peer-reviewed], scholar-run online magazine devoted to the idea that the Middle Ages matter to people today. Our goal is simple: to present compelling, exciting, meaningful medieval histories that showcase the best of contemporary scholarship in a way that is accessible and enjoyable to the public for free." Contemporary issues such as race, racism, gender identity, and representation are often examined by the writers.
A clickable database of music (via world map) of music from 1900-2010 from nearly every country. It’s not the most academic thing in the world and how it categorizes music isn’t extremely helpful, but it’s easy to use, really interesting, and fully online, so instructors could design a project for students to engage with music from other cultures (provided they have internet access, of course).
“…a community-driven, comprehensive answer to guitar culture and music media. Dedicated to women guitarists and bassists, their mission is to educate, empower, and inspire people through unexplored musical and cultural landscapes. Their vision is to continuously refine, redefine, and reimagine the possibilities of how music connects us, ensuring an inclusive and accessible music community 100% of the time.”
Some great resources of how women—especially women of color whose stories have historically not been included—have contributed to the history of the guitar and bass.
Searchable database of artsongs by categories such as race, gender, etc.
A Detroit-based organization that advocates for diversity in classical music. The ensembles under their banner are really cool (the Sphinx Virtuosi are my favorite).
A well-produced podcast about “true and real conversations that challenge the status quo of ‘classical’ music.”
“...an online forum devoted to women’s voices in song, to the many songs by women, and to the many female musicians working in and with song, who have yet to be given the attention they deserve. The Women’s Song Forum provides an opportunity to expand and enhance knowledge and understanding of this rich and significant area of musical practice and scholarship, and – as the name ‘forum’ suggests – aims to encourage discussion and debate across different interest groups. It is also hoped that the forum will give access to performances of music that are otherwise hard to access.”