Spring Lake Park HS (MN) has a national reputation for innovation and inclusivity. Co-directors Nora Tycast and Brian Lukkasson have been featured on NPR, The Washington Post, and MPR thanks to their unyielding effort to program excellent music written by composers of diverse and underrepresented backgrounds.
We are very proud of this week's episode, "Quality Music of Diversity" with Nora Tycast and Brian Lukkasson. We also want our listeners to know that this episode was recorded prior to the murder of George Floyd and the events that followed. To give additional perspective to this topic, Brian and Nora have provided the statement below.
"We are grateful and honored to share some of our work from the past 5 years with you on the newest episode of Band in Minnesota podcast. The topic of “diversifying” repertoire is not new, but after the May 25th murder of George Floyd and the public outrage at continued police brutality against communities of color there has been an increased interest in programming composers of color. While we are encouraged by this interest we ask that all educators (including us) pause and reflect on their role in spreading racism through superficial action or worse, in-action.
"This is not a moment to program a “Black Lives Matter” concert to justify any anger, sadness, or embarrassment. This is a time for deep, personal reflection on how we must change what and how we teach. All of our students should see themselves AND people not like themselves held up as innovators and creators in our classrooms. Our ensembles should be where the music of our black and brown students is held up as equal art and where the missing narratives of our education system can have a more than equal voice and powerful elevation. This is not a “One and Done” movement, but an opportunity for systematic change for our students' benefit.
"We are only sharing with you what we have done in recent years and the reasons we believe it is the right for our profession to do. It is not enough! We will continue to listen, learn and commit to do better by our students and communities."
-Brian Lukkasson & Nora Tycast, 6/17/2020
Programming Resources:
Composer Diversity Database: https://www.composerdiversity.com/
And we were heard:  http://andwewereheard.org
Murphy Press: http://Murphymusic press.com
Diverse Composers of Wind Band Music
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1i4mcvDo3j6P9MiXKDbgyZ6enIGPcDhY2NTG278ReOaI/edit#gid=0
Music by Black Composers: https://www.musicbyblackcomposers.org/
Female Band Composers: https://www.jodieblackshaw.com/female-band-composers
Facebook Groups:
Network of Positive Orchestra Directors
Lesbian and Gay Band Association
Decolonizing the Music Room
ColourFULL Music
MN LGBTQ+ Educator & Ally
Progressing Creative Artists Forward