Tracy Wong and Ahmed Anzaldúa sat down for a conversation about bringing the music of Malaysia and Latin America to a broader choral community.
“I really do believe that representation on stage and in the songbooks and in the curriculums translates into a better understanding of people, of how we relate to each other.”
— Ahmed Anzaldúa
Tracy Wong: There is space for everyone. Honestly, that is a great way of looking at it. I had a really honest conversation about accessibility with a professor during my doctoral studies. I asked, “Is it just me, or do I feel like everyone’s trying to be so culturally appropriate or politically correct to the point of paranoia?” I get emails coming in saying, “I’d love to perform your music. Would it be offensive if…?” and then fill in the blanks.
Why is it that the first question that comes out is, “Would it be offensive if…?”
Ahmed Anzaldúa: It’s a question that’s rooted in fear: people are afraid to get canceled, afraid to get called out, afraid that they’ve been doing the wrong thing. And all of a sudden, they’re going to have to have consequences for it.
I’ll get messages: “I don’t have a single black or brown kid in my choir. Is it offensive if we sing, ‘Yo ya me voy a morir a los desiertos’?” Usually, my reply is, “I mean, it’s even more important that you do it, because these kids are growing in a community where this might be their only exposure to this culture.
“It makes me think about my experiences teaching choirs as well, and how it is a way of connecting.
They want to do good by the community and the music that they sing. They just need to know how.”
— Tracy Wong
Check out the Tracy Wong Series and the Border CrosSing Series!
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