Who We Are
What started our mission in 2020
Audition practices for music programs involve in-person auditions, which create barriers of entry that disproportionately affect students of color, leading to a lack of musical multiculturalism within academia.
These barriers include:
Cost - traveling to each audition, application costs, etc.
Process - students who do not have a private instruction teacher are at a disadvantage
Bias - staff and faculty at schools of music may have bias against students who navigate the process incorrectly or cannot come to live auditions
Students may not see themselves reflected or see where their talents fit in ‘traditional’ music. We are here to help them find their voice through resources and mentorship.
We recognize that the conversations around BIPOC and LGBTQ students are different. We are able to find clear data as to how the BIPOC community is affected by issues within music, which has allowed us to take immediate and actionable steps to help. There is less data on how the LGBTQ community is affected. We want this community, especially trans and non-binary students, know that we are here to listen, learn, and amplify voices.
Mission
We strive to make the study of music more accessible and inclusive through advocacy, technology, and support as BIPOC and LGBTQstudents move from high school to the collegiate level so that they have opportunities to pursue music as a career. Music should be accessible and inclusive to all students,
“So [they] will be closer to an infinite beyond this world, so [they] will have something to cling to, so [they] will have more love, more compassion, more gentleness, more good... in short, more life. Of what value will it be to make a prosperous living unless you know how to live?” - Anonymous
Vision
To honor and support the communities we serve.
To create a world where collegiate music programs & professional performance ensembles are representative of all people creating music.
To diversify classical music so we can begin to break down barriers of entry and diversify the Western canon. We want to create space for composers in theses communities to become a more integral part of the literature musicians experience in music school & professional performance ensembles
To break down systemic racism.
MIC is a 501(c)(3) Non-profit Organization
Making Headlines
https://www.colorado.edu/music/2020/08/27/music-grads-solution-spendy-college-auditions-recording-studio-box
