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| Ed Vaizey: 'no excuse' for lack of diversity in British orchestras | Ed Vaizey: 'no excuse' for lack of diversity in British orchestras |
| (7 months later) | |
| British orchestras must make “a real step change” to allow a wider diversity of backgrounds into their ranks, according to culture minister, Ed Vaizey. | British orchestras must make “a real step change” to allow a wider diversity of backgrounds into their ranks, according to culture minister, Ed Vaizey. |
| In a strongly worded appeal to a group of musicians and orchestral managers in Birmingham on Friday night, the minister put pressure on leaders in the music world to do more. | In a strongly worded appeal to a group of musicians and orchestral managers in Birmingham on Friday night, the minister put pressure on leaders in the music world to do more. |
| “I appreciate that these diverse musicians may not be able to spring fully formed to take their place in an orchestra, but I refuse to accept diverse talent isn’t out there and I really do want to see people being given opportunities where they can,” he told those gathered in Birmingham Town Hall for the closing session of the Association of British Orchestras’ annual conference. | “I appreciate that these diverse musicians may not be able to spring fully formed to take their place in an orchestra, but I refuse to accept diverse talent isn’t out there and I really do want to see people being given opportunities where they can,” he told those gathered in Birmingham Town Hall for the closing session of the Association of British Orchestras’ annual conference. |
| Picking up themes aired last week by British actor Idris Elba following the announcement of a white slate of nominees for this year’s Oscars, Vaizey said he hoped to see the Arts Council of England working with the ABO and the orchestras themselves to “really grab this agenda by the scruff of the neck, make it work and have an impact”. | Picking up themes aired last week by British actor Idris Elba following the announcement of a white slate of nominees for this year’s Oscars, Vaizey said he hoped to see the Arts Council of England working with the ABO and the orchestras themselves to “really grab this agenda by the scruff of the neck, make it work and have an impact”. |
| He said no one was yet doing enough to impose clear targets on diversity in music. | He said no one was yet doing enough to impose clear targets on diversity in music. |
| In a speech chiefly designed to herald the government’s upcoming white paper on the arts and its value to Britain, Vaizey used the event, run by the Creative Industries Federation, to call on established musicians to mentor those who are excluded due to issues of cost or culture. He singled out the work of the In Harmony project, which intensively trains young people in an instrument, as an example of what can be done. | In a speech chiefly designed to herald the government’s upcoming white paper on the arts and its value to Britain, Vaizey used the event, run by the Creative Industries Federation, to call on established musicians to mentor those who are excluded due to issues of cost or culture. He singled out the work of the In Harmony project, which intensively trains young people in an instrument, as an example of what can be done. |
| “What lies at the heart of this are the mentoring programmes and the knowledge of what it can bring to young musicians, by encouraging them and telling them from an early age about the great opportunities there are to play in our great orchestras,” he said. | “What lies at the heart of this are the mentoring programmes and the knowledge of what it can bring to young musicians, by encouraging them and telling them from an early age about the great opportunities there are to play in our great orchestras,” he said. |
| Fielding questions from the floor, Vaizey went further, suggesting that all that was really required was more focus from leaders in classical music. “We have got to stop making excuses. This is not political correctness. It is essential. I can’t emphasise enough how important it is to see people from all our communities reflected in our arts whether in the concert hall the cinema or watching television. As Idris Elba said, the talent is out there.” | Fielding questions from the floor, Vaizey went further, suggesting that all that was really required was more focus from leaders in classical music. “We have got to stop making excuses. This is not political correctness. It is essential. I can’t emphasise enough how important it is to see people from all our communities reflected in our arts whether in the concert hall the cinema or watching television. As Idris Elba said, the talent is out there.” |