Tales from the Symphony: Perspectives from African American Musicians

This book contains conversations with nineteen African American classical musicians currently performing--or who have previously performed--in America’s major symphony orchestras. Each chapter focuses on the story of one musician and sheds light on the realities of African American musicians playing in a musical environment that absolutely forbade their membership over half a century ago.

These conversations explore the deeply ingrained prejudices that some hold against African American people in symphony orchestras, conservatories, and other musical institutions. By amplifying these voices, the book provides a variety of perspectives on the almost cloistered world of these beloved institutions. The stories and lessons shared in this book will be invaluable to music students, teachers, and orchestral professionals.

Robert Lee Watt studied French horn at the New England Conservatory of Music with Harry Shapiro of the Boston Symphony. In 1970, he was hired by the Los Angeles Philharmonic as assistant first French horn under maestro Zubin Mehta, making him the first African American French hornist hired by a major symphony in the United States.