Addressing the lack of Asian Composers and Administration in Western Classical Music

Abstract

Western classical music is a significant cultural tradition that has been in practice and of scholarly interest in the past millennia. In the past century, there has been an emergence of Asian performers and composers in the classical music industry. Currently, classical Asian musicians make up 9% of the musician population despite comprising 6% of the national population (Hernandez, 2021). In our paper, we will dive into the extent of influence of Asian music on the West, as well as the presence of Asians in a Western Classical music context and the expression of their identities. Analyzing different representations of Western music in Asian context in the past centuries have shown these compositions to be merely cultural reproductions and rather simplistic than genuinely representing Asian identity. Although a handful of composers have shown hope in carving a space for Asian innovators, such as Tan Dun and Toru Takemitsu, the greatest barriers arise from the lack of Asian figures in administration and positions of power in the classical music society. It’s vital for Asian students to be offered classes on not just the development of Asian music and its prominent artists, but also on the social and cultural context in which world music developed. Organizations, such as the Music of Asia America Research Center, should be incorporated into music school curriculum in order to strengthen the identity of asian musicians and create a community where they can prosper.