"Music is about bringing us all together- it should never be a vehicle for division."

[Image from the South Carolina Philharmonic website]

Title quote is from an email sent to me by Mary Lee Taylor Kinosian, which is fully reproduced below.
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I really didn't expect any response to my "Asians Playing Western Music" blog post. Partly because I didn't think my subjects of focus, Asians, read this blog, or paid any attention to it if they somehow got directed here. And partly because I didn't really undermine anyone, and was just stating my observations based on my own background in music.

Just to be clear, I studied piano since I was five years old. At ten I took up the violin for about five years. I started singing in classical choirs singing sacred music (as a soprano, and sometimes as a soloist) since I was ten, and continued well into my twenties. So, my observations weren't mere opinions.

I know what I'm writing sounds hypocritical since I'm deriding Asians despite my similar technical background, but at least I realize that these issues exist, and I'm not afraid to confront them. Perhaps that makes me a better critique.

I got several "you racist bigot" emails, although I don't consider them offensive, since none of them wished me other serious conditions like death. Still, they were declaring my racist/bigoted intentions since I dared write that Asian musicians were inferior to white musicians. I wrote back to one emailer asking why he/she doesn't sign off with his/her name. "Was he/she afraid of being sued for hate mail?" Sarcasm, of course. But that was the end of those emails.

I was then inundated with a second wave of emails. They were signed, but I couldn't figure out where the authors were writing from, although they were clearly part of some orchestra. Their approach was very different. They were more of a scolding nature, a little condescending. (I think they are all, the angry and the condescending, from the same group.)

Here's an example of a "nice" email (the sender's name is clearly displayed in his email address):

Why would anyone want to go to a concert (or play in one) where people like you are in the audience? You are killing sales, morale, et cetera.

With Love,

A White, God-Fearing, All-American Trombone Player

Here's another (again, full name clearly displayed in the email address):

I'm glad that you're interested in classical music journalism, but I hope you'll think harder next time.

warmly,
Jeff

Then I got an email from a woman who signed off as:

Mary Lee Kinosian
Concertmaster, SC Philharmonic
Asst Concertmaster, Greenville Symphony
Composer/Violinist, Upton Trio

Here's her full email:

Greetings,

Your article about Asian musicians comes across as completely biased. It is offensive and unfair as well. As a Caucasian Female American Concertmaster, I have successfully worked for many years with many many different colleagues, of all ethnic backgrounds, in California and Nashville, TN as well as S.C., and for what it is worth, my opinion is: the more talent, the better. Music is universal, and all of us joined together create our best work.

I strongly object to your dismissal of the concertmaster, when you remark she is Asian and female as well- why should that matter?!? Frankly, I know quite a few Asian female violinists that will play you under the table, they are so wonderful. Likewise the other players. Geez.

Furthermore, our conductor for SC Philharmonic is Asian, and he is an incredibly talented musician and performer. I am privileged to call him a colleague, and we continue to create wonderful programs together time after time.

Really, your article's conclusions seem to be based on your personal prejudices. Try to be more objective in the future, if you want us in real-life to take you seriously. Right now, there's lots of disbelief/dismay locally on FB. Bottom line: nobody agrees with you, so sorry, you lose.

Please try to understand: music is about bringing us all together- it should never be a vehicle for division.

Sincerely,

Mary Lee Taylor Kinosian
Concertmaster, SC Philharmonic
Asst Concertmaster, Greenville Symphony
Composer/Violinist, Upton Trio
[I've added in the links]

I think Mary Lee and the other white admonishers are trying to say that given my own background, how do I have the grounds to say that Asian musicians are inferior? After all, there are no African/Ethiopian/Black musicians in this orchestra, or very few others. Who am I to criticize any orchestra's "group" makeup? As one of the non-anonymous emailers said to me:

The statements you make -- that Asian musicians essentially all play the same way because of some kind of essential attribute -- denies personhood to a very large group of people.

I think if a white person had made the kind of observations I'd made, the wrath of the "nice" emailers would have known no limits (possibly worse than the anonymous emailers). Instead, this non-white critic that is me simply requires a dressing down, and a lecturing to, and she can be set in the right track of tolerance and wonderful music-making.

So, they are of course, in their own subtle, race-bound ways, saying that I as a non-white person, whose ethnic and cultural group does not figure in white classical music repertoire, have no say in classical music, since I am "essentially" unable to make such critiques. But, they're going to say it in a nice, non-threatening way, because, well, I have to be taught the right way to communicate, by example, of course. Irrelevant of my own personal knowledge and background, they have put me squarely in my box.

At least I am clear about my group classifications. Perhaps I might concede the one or two rare individuals who behave as individuals, but I'd still observe them with suspicion since they will probably be culture-bound eventually. That is, despite their individualistic stance, they still have to live within a culture, and will have to follow most of the norms of that culture. So there may be one or two rare, exceptional Asian musicians. But, likely than not, they have to live and work (or just deal) with other Asians, and have to carefully maneuver their racial routes.

Putting a majority (or a large number) of Asians in a western orchestra will invariably make it more Asian. Musicians like Mary Lee, who allow this to happen, have at some point to concede the inferiority of this type orchestra compared to that with a majority of whites, and either close off their eyes to this reality (as does Mary Lee), or perform grudgingly until better situations hopefully present themselves.

But there is a third option, which Mary Lee has found. She has formed a trio with two other white musicians. She can perform with her multi-culti Asiaphilic orchestra by day exalting its praises, and she can escape that rigid reality with her own trio by night.