Cobb County High Schools Not "Diverse" Enough for the Atlanta Symphony (Columbus: college, live)

[JoeTarheel]

Thank you for the clarification.

[RainyRainyDay]

My daughter was a Lassiter chorus member who performed in the last three ASO holiday concerts. Those concerts were the highlight of her years with the high school chorus. I'm grateful she had this wonderful opportunity.

It seems fair to rotate this opportunity to other schools but disappointing that it's being presented as a racial diversity issue.

Some preceding posts have suggested that the Lassiter and Walton choruses are 100% white. As a chorus parent the last four years, I know that is not true. Naturally, these East Cobb high schools reflect their zone population, which is majority white. However, there were African Americans in Lassiter chorus every year my daughter was there, just not very many.

[Saintmarks]

Originally Posted by AcidSnake

There are plenty of High Schools in Dekalb County that have orchestras. Same for Fulton County. Likely the same for Gwinnett County as well. Maybe the question that should asked is what were the conditions that lead up to the partnership with the two Cobb High schools in first place and why those invitations were never extended to other high schools in metro Atlanta.

How is it that a supposedly professional organization like the ASO would think that it's okay to maintain that sort of exclusivity in its selection of High Schools to perform with them? Let's sidebar the haphazard selection of Grady High School for a minute; Are there not other high schools ITP that have the same orchestra capable students?

You can't tell me that only two high schools out of the whole metro Atlanta area have nationally acclaimed orchestras. I dare someone to argue that point to me.

Quite frankly, it only proves to me how deeply ingrained it is in southern culture that only that only a select few students within Georgia are deserving of the opportunities for success; while others are pretty much left out in the woods.

I would call that elitism at its worst, which harkens back to a dark past where unfortunately the educational keys to success were all too often determined by the demographics & income level of a neighborhood...rather than by merit and desire.

Just another day in Georgia, I guess.

Acid, just a clarification, but the schools' CHORUSES were invited (and dis-invited) not their ORCHESTRAS. Chorus is the high school term for choir... singers, not instrumentalists.

[AcidSnake]

No problems.

My logic still applies though. I know so many people who not only sang for their High School, but sang for their church as well...and their lungs can quite easily beat the pants out of any talent that may come from those two Cobb High Schools.

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

Acid, just a clarification, but the schools' CHORUSES were invited (and dis-invited) not their ORCHESTRAS. Chorus is the high school term for choir... singers, not instrumentalists.

[Saintmarks]

Originally Posted by AcidSnake

No problems.

My logic still applies though. I know so many people who not only sang for their High School, but sang for their church as well...and their lungs can quite easily beat the pants out of any talent that may come from those two Cobb High Schools.

I majored in music, voice in fact. It was a rigorous classical training. I have taken that degree and have used it primarily in church music work. None of the churches I have served have had a classical leaning, most have run more contemporary, some have had a more gospel choir feel.

Gospel choir is more energetic for sure, but most are not classically trained. Most gospel choir members learn a basic three part arrangement by rote, usually a section leader just "hears" the part and teaches it to the rest of his/her section. Tenors usually find a harmony line a third or fourth above the melody line, the altos follow a harmony line under the melody, sopranos usually hold the melody. Most gospel choir members cannot read music.

The type of choral work that would involve singing with the ASO would require a much more technical ability to read choral music, be able to sight read, will have counterparts and parts moving against parts, not just a natural harmonization against a melody. The parts cannot be learned by rote. Not saying it is better, but it does require more skill.

Popular music (of any era) is usually much, much simpler than classical. A matter of taste, but a number of rocking gospel choirs would not be able to handle the stricter guidelines a chorus that sings with a major Symphony Orchestra would require.

[jazzcat22]

Originally Posted by RainyRainyDay

It seems fair to rotate this opportunity to other schools but disappointing that it's being presented as a racial diversity issue.

While this may be true, in the performing arts, people should and are selected by merit, not "fairness" in spreading opportunity around. With a school play, I would hope that the best actors get selected, not those who never got a chance previously (because other people were cast who were considered to be better). And of course, in the bigger world beyond high school, whether in orchestras, rock bands, dance troupes, films, etc., people are selected who are considered the best.

The linked article notes:

The ASO has a long tradition of performing with amateur groups, including the Atlanta Boy Choir and glee clubs at Spelman and Morehouse colleges.

So----if they aren't severing their relationship with Spelman and Morehouse colleges to rotate the opportunity to other schools (Emory? Georgia State?), then why do the high schools need rotation?

[GeorgiaLakeSearch]

Originally Posted by plessthanpointohfive

Wait - by diverse did they explicitly say demographics...or are they not musically diverse? As in, say, too many violin players and not enough tympani players.

Otherwise, if it is demographically motivated, I think it wouldn't be bad idea for the Symphony to come up with some sort of outreach program to give musically trained/talented minorities an opportunity. That's not the same as shutting out musically trained/talented majorities.

My wife and I fully support what the ASO is doing. I have supported the Atlanta arts from the time I moved down here because I believe the arts are very important in Atlanta becoming a more global community. I am so glad to see how much the art community has grown so much from the 1980's.

I also think it is nice the see them working with Grady considering it is right in their backyard. I am glad to see them using an APS. I guess some of the East Cobb people forgot there is talent outside of East Cobb even in the City of Atlanta(I know it is not just filled with drug users and SNAP(food stamps for people who are not up to date) recipients)!

I would much rather see an APS, close in DeKalb(ex. Druid Hills, Lakeside), or close in Fulton(ex. Westlake, Riverwood) County School preform because they more accurately reflect Atlanta.

You know most people who financially support the Woodruff Arts center live in the Grady and N. ATL cluster.

I have noticed people from E. Cobb in the comments on the articles about this complaining about what the City of Atlanta does. I do not see why when they are not paying the taxes. People in Atlanta do not complain what County of Cobb does. People who live in the exurbs always want to say everything is bad in Atlanta but they always are willing to say they "live in Atlanta."

[lastminutemom]

Originally Posted by jazzcat22

While this may be true, in the performing arts, people should and are selected by merit, not "fairness" in spreading opportunity around. With a school play, I would hope that the best actors get selected, not those who never got a chance previously (because other people were cast who were considered to be better). And of course, in the bigger world beyond high school, whether in orchestras, rock bands, dance troupes, films, etc., people are selected who are considered the best.

The linked article notes:

The ASO has a long tradition of performing with amateur groups, including the Atlanta Boy Choir and glee clubs at Spelman and Morehouse colleges.

So----if they aren't severing their relationship with Spelman and Morehouse colleges to rotate the opportunity to other schools (Emory? Georgia State?), then why do the high schools need rotation?

I have seen them perform with Emory before. I am not sure GA State has a strong choral program, as the state's strongest college level musical education program is at Columbus State, I believe.

I would approach your question differently, why in the world would they work with the same high school choral programs more than once. It would benefit the symphony more to have more exposure in different communities. Do you really believe those two programs are the only strong choral programs in the metro area?

We regularly attend the symphony programs, especially the family ones. The amateur groups vary from year to year.

[PeteATL41]

At the end of the day, this whole incident really just shows how inept the ASO management is at handling PR (among other things) Of course there should be diversity. This could be accomplished thru a rotational system so that talented kids from all over the metro get their chance. This would be understood by all and this wouldn't have even merited a two line mention in the AJC.

The ASO president needs to go. He is failing as a lead fundraiser, risks ruining relations with the musicians over the contract dispute, and now is failing as the representative of the organization in the media and community.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by AcidSnake

No problems.

My logic still applies though. I know so many people who not only sang for their High School, but sang for their church as well...and their lungs can quite easily beat the pants out of any talent that may come from those two Cobb High Schools.

And you know this how?

Since the ASO has a policy of blind auditions for its orchestra, why not do the same for prospective choruses?

But merit be damned, I suppose.