Virtual Instruction Resources—Updated for Spring 2021
Tuesday, January 19, 2020:
The Virtual Instruction page consolidates various campus resources for the BCCM community to access information about how instruction will function this semester. In it you will find information on updated BCCM policies due to COVID-19, help on setting up Zoom for online learning, alternative music-making options, and much more. Please take some time to review the site and bookmark it as we will be updating it as new information arises.
Virtual Instruction
You can access the Virtual Instruction page by using this link in the main menu at the top of every page.
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Band Festivals Postponement
Thursday, October 1, 2020:
Due to Los Angeles County and City of Long Beach health regulations, both the 2021 Bob Cole Honors Festival and the 2021 Pacific Coast Regional Wind Band Festival have been postponed.
Bob Cole Honors Festival
The Bob Cole Honors Festival has been rescheduled for January 2022. Please check back in Fall 2021 for Honors Festival dates, participation, application, and deadline information.
Pacific Coast Regional Wind Band Festival
The Pacific Coast Regional Wind Band Festival has been rescheduled for March 2022. Please check back in Spring 2022 for festival dates and participation information.
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BCCM Social Justice Statement
Friday, June 12, 2020:
The recent killings of unarmed Black people in the United States have generated international outrage and condemnation. These grave events affect everyone in our community of music-makers at the BCCM.
Recent protests have shown music’s unique power to unify, heal, and inspire. This past weekend in Washington, D.C., the singer Kenny Sway led a crowd of peaceful demonstrators in a collective performance of the Bill Withers anthem "Lean on Me." Meanwhile, the keyboardist and band leader Jon Batiste marched through the streets of New York City performing classic protest songs like "Down by the Riverside" and "We Shall Overcome."
But music is not free from the racism being decried by these protesters. Black musicians have endured discrimination and police brutality throughout US history. Because of her race, the great contralto Marian Anderson was barred from performing at Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the American Revolution. Miles Davis was beaten by a New York City police officer for the "crime" of simply standing outside the nightclub where he was headlining. Exclusion of people of color is particularly acute within the Western classical music traditionally taught in music conservatories like ours. People of color are too often an afterthought in narratives of classical music history. The works of Black composers remain underperformed and underappreciated, while Black performers remain underrepresented in present-day ensembles.
We must do better as a conservatory, as a university, as a discipline, and as a society to undo the institutionalized fabric of racism. Declarations of solidarity, however, can ring hollow without resulting actions. By actively broadening our academic focus and demanding just treatment of the music of marginalized peoples in our concerts and curriculum, we begin to create the equality that we seek.
Though the degree of transformation needed is immense, our individual and institutionalized efforts are what makes a difference. It is up to us to actively protect the dignity of every individual in our community and to stand firmly for justice and embrace a culture of respect for all.
#BlackLivesMatter
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