Joe and Yumi on Speaking Up and Taking Action
Welcome to Tacet No More: where we are asking the questions that need to be asked, and saying the things that need to be said about classical music.
This is a landing pad for positive discussions about our belief in the power of music to better humanity, and we will invite voices - from all sectors - to inspire us and the work we do on and off the stage.
In this first episode of the second season, we discuss:
- How to harness positive thinking as fuel for changemaking
- The orchestra sector’s reckoning with sexual assault in light of the news about Cara Kizer and the New York Philharmonic
- The importance of showing up and being a vocal advocate
- When speaking out isn’t enough, and how to move toward action
- What it means to practice citizenship from positions of privilege within an orchestra
- How to prioritize being informed and preparing to be a changemaker, even if you're early in your career
What’s your one good thing?
We’re kicking off every episode with an activity, One Good Thing. This activity will center us as we start our conversations to bring connections and openness while orienting us to the positive.
It’s like shining a flashlight in a dark room so that we pay attention to our experience.
“And so hearing from all of you with your own individual, one good thing. really helps expand the energy that Joe and I are here in the recording studio experiencing together. It helps magnify. It helps spread emotional sunshine. And we would love to do that with all of you.” - Yumi
So, we want to ask you, what is something meaningful? What is something you’re grateful for recently? We’d love for you to share your One Good Thing with us by sharing it on your Instagram Stories. Don’t forget to tag @TacetNoMore and hashtag #OneGoodThingTNM so we can see and share!
ABOUT THE EPISODE:
Spreading the TNM Mission
Joe and Yumi talk about the impact working on the first season had on them and the community, and how exciting it is to be back and approaching the second season without hesitation. They talk about opportunities they’ve had recently to share about their musical craft and the message behind Tacet No More in new forums, including at the Association of Program Directors in Surgery convention. They talk about the superpower musicians have to share about their passion for their work as a way to inspire people in other fields.
Confronting the Status Quo
Joe and Yumi discuss the news about sexual assault in classical music organizations that has been prominent in the field lately, focusing on the story of Cara Kizer and the New York Philharmonic. They highlight that Katherine Needleman’s advocacy has brought to light many similar stories in other institutions.
Joe recently attended a protest in New York in support of Cara, and Joe and Yumi discuss the importance of showing up and making your presence known in support of those whose voices have been silenced. They highlight the various ways you can choose to speak out, and give an example of an open letter Joe wrote to the students of Project 440 in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd.
They also acknowledge that sometimes speaking up isn’t enough, and that words must lead to action. They talk about the ways in which tenured orchestra musicians can work from their places of privilege to enact change.
“But the idea of leaning into that discomfort, trusting that the outcome will alleviate that weight and the heaviness of that discomfort because the outcome means a safe work environment. The outcome means a place where everyone is seen as an equal and has a voice and doesn't feel like they have to be silenced in any way. Which makes for a better culture. It makes for, to me, would then make for better music making. And a better organization or institution that can be outward facing as an example for the rest of the world. Not just via the notes we play, but how we actually handle our business.” - Joe
A North Star
Joe and Yumi encourage listeners to find inspiration in the beauty and majesty present in life as a musician, and that our goal as an industry should be for all people to be able to practice their excellence in safe spaces. They encourage musicians to think about how they practice citizenship in their institutions to help make these safe spaces possible. This includes educating yourself and accessing resources from places like League of American Orchestras and the American Federation of Musicians, even early in your career when you feel you may not yet be able to speak out as freely.
“And y'all, that's the best we can do. Because even in an overwhelming situation, the fact that we tried might be just enough in the long run to tip the scale. We may not see the scale ever tip, but in the long run…And hopefully that aids in some of this encouragement of getting folks to be active, to advocate, and to look for positive change so that we can lean into the thing that makes this art so beautiful.” - Joe
Mentioned in the episode
- Season 1 Episode 2 | Vijay Gupta
- Yumi and Joe at the Association of Program Directors in Surgery
- Vulture article: A Hidden Sexual-Assault Scandal at the New York Philharmonic
- The Philadelphia Inquirer article: Credible, ‘horrifying’ sexual-abuse accounts at Curtis Institute of Music, law firm finds
- White Fragility by Robin DeAngelo
- Katherine Needleman’s website
- A Letter from Joseph Conyers to Project 440 Students
- Quiet by Susan Cain
Interact with Tacet No More
Tacet No More is produced by Joseph Conyers, Yumi Kendall, Andrew Mellor, Lindsay Sheridan, and Brenda Hernández Jaimes.
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