Rachel Barton Pine is a critically-acclaimed violinist and internationally-recognized artist who performed with the Madison Symphony Orchestra in 2019. Read reviews and view photos from her performance here. That same year, Ms. Pine was awarded named the recipient of the Cedille Records Musical Partnership Award for her Rachel Barton Pine Foundation, which promotes the study and appreciation of classical music. Read more here!
The Foundation’s particular focus on Black musicians is industry-leading and helps to prepare young musicians of color for careers in classical music. Music by Black Composers, a subsidiary of the Rachel Barton Pine Foundation, has three primary goals: inspire Black students to begin and continue instrumental training, make the music of Black composers available to everyone, and help to change the face of classical music through greater diversity. The mission of the organization is “to help rectify historic and ongoing racial injustices in the classical music sphere.”
As of October 2020, Music by Black Composers had raised nearly $12,000 to continue in the pursuit of their mission. Additionally, MBC partners with a number of organizations working to promote Black musicians, including Sphinx Organization, African Musical Arts Inc., and the Chineke! Foundation. A variety of volunteer positions are available with Music by Black Composers, including a variety of activities for educators, contribution opportunities, and more.
Another component of the Foundation is its Instrument Loan Program, which reaches students across the country and even in our own community! Before claiming top honors in our 2018 Bolz Young Artist Competition, violinist Hannah White participated in this program in 2016, performing 23 concerts across the United States as a soloist with the Foundation’s Arkwright Lady Rebecca Sylvan Stradivarius of 1732.
The organization is currently in Phase Two of its Five Phase Plan, which consists of a variety of different items including coloring books, composer directories, children’s books, bibliographies, discographies, and both podcast and radio programs. The second phase of work consists primarily of building professional repertoire for various instruments. In order to keep pushing this work forward, both volunteer hours and monetary donations are necessary.
If you are interested in learning more about the Rachel Barton Pine Foundation and Music by Black Composers, visit musicbyblackcomposers.org.