Most of you who read these monthly musings know that I am big on preserving the heritage and legacy of composers from the United States. Our tradition is rich and full. There was a time when many of these creators were heroes, part of the ongoing march of cultural history.

It is important to understand what orchestras are doing next season and more importantly, why they are doing it. Some programming decisions needed to change in light of what we have experienced over this past year and a half. Placing emphasis on female performers and composers is long overdue, and pretty much every orchestra has recognized this, at least for the 2021-22 season. The same is true for musicians from minority communities. Black artists have, in some cases, been absent from programming aside from special observances placing them all together on a single concert. We should applaud the boards, staffs, and musicians who are working to balance the scales.