Young musicians who had earned a chance to perform with The United States Marine Band found a way to share their talent after the original concert was canceled due to the current administration’s policies regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). As reported on CBS News’ 60 Minutes, retired military musicians joined these students for a concert held at The Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda, Maryland.
The students had been selected through a competition organized by the nonprofit Equity Arc and the Marine Band. However, the concert was canceled, with Equity Arc being told it wouldn’t be rescheduled under the current administration’s policies.
Equity Arc’s executive director, Scott Thompson, had been contacted by the Marine Band in an effort to increase the representation of musicians of color and had suggested the student collaboration. American orchestras are 80% white, with only 2% Black musician representation. The students had submitted audition videos and were preparing for the performance when they learned of the cancellation of the May-planned concert, which was attributed to the administration’s so-called efforts to promote a so-called “color-blind, merit-based” society.
In response, Equity Arc, with support from 60 Minutes, organized a concert featuring retired musicians from various branches of the military. These veterans traveled to Maryland to perform with the students, forming the Equity Arc Wind Symphony.
The 60 Minutes report also highlighted the administration’s changes to anti-discrimination protections. The current administration has rolled back 60 years of discrimination protections for women, older Americans, the disabled and people of color, which includes rescinding President Johnson’s 1965 ban on employment bias, closing the Social Security Office of Civil Rights and firing leaders of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which investigates bias in the workplace.
The retired musicians expressed their enthusiasm for participating, emphasizing the positive impact of the collaboration. Students, like clarinetist Zakyya McClenny and high school junior Sean Mouzon, shared their passion for music and their desire for opportunities to perform.
Mouzon stated, “One thing that unites us all is this, music. I’m here because I love it. No other reason than all these amazing, talented people. And I don’t want this to be taken away from anybody because of someone else’s personal opinion or just anything else besides why we like to do this.”
The full concert can be viewed on CBSnews.com.
