Diversity Initiatives in Music for Kids May Unintentionally Affirm Racism

The paper is an ethnographic study of a self-described "Intercultural" children's choir project. The author shows how diversity programs in Western sectors can turn into elitist endeavors that affirm middle-class whiteness. Even with genuine intentions social justice, projects set to encourage diversity can instead affirm racial hierarchy.

A leading German opera house created a strategy to make its in-house children’s choir more diverse by engaging children of different ethnic and economic backgrounds, mostly of Turkish heritage, The author recognizes that the objective was well meaning. However, the initiative actually reifies racial and class inequalities by not having reviewed the organization’s history of exclusionary practices. Also, the choir participants of Turkish descent carry the burden of needing to prove their “worthiness” to the institution by performing the “right degree’ of difference.” By embracing multiculturalism without evaluating existing power relations, the choir’s program draws attention to an elitist pursuit of other’s cultural capital in the highbrow music sector.

Kolbe offers an analysis that calls for a re-envisioning of cultural competency work that not only reframes notions of otherness but also contributes to the undoing of racialized hierarchies. How arts organizations manage the challenges of openness and inclusion must be rooted in dialogues around white supremacy, economic capital, and cultural legitimacy.

People of all backgrounds are increasingly aware of how racial inequality affects every part of life. As such, much discourse is based in the idea of practicing antiracism, that is, not just working toward equality but also actively dismantling racist actions, which requires systemic change to our institutions that has gone previously unexamined. I find this article particularly provocative in that the author is looking at a children’s choir. She reveals in her field notes that some of the white parents welcomed cultural exchange while others struggled with the change to the makeup of the choir, particularly of the newer members who were not able to keep up with the given structure. The article points to the idea that diversity without creating an environment of belonging is merely tokenism.