Breaking barriers: the CSO/CCM Diversity Fellowship program

Curry, from West Olive, Michigan, has played in some top-notch student ensembles. Still, he says, “It’s unreal as far as the playing gap and the overall sensitivity of the orchestra. It’s inspiring and intimidating at the same time.” Curry and Wilson, along with violist Cristian Diaz, from Colombia, violinist Magdiell Antequera, from Venezuela, and violist Edna Pierce, from Cincinnati, are the most recent winners of the CSO/ CCM Diversity Fellowship, a two-year program for extremely talented, graduate-level string players from traditionally underrepresented populations in classical music, especially the string sections of orchestras. The Fellows are working on performance master’s degrees or artist diplomas at CCM and competed with 19 finalists before they were chosen as the 2019-21 Fellows.

In fact, several have impressive experience already. Antequera has won or placed in solo competitions in the U.S., his native Venezuela and Italy. While earning his bachelor’s degree in Colombia, Diaz did six international tours with the Colombian Youth Philharmonic and currently is a member of the Éfferus String Quartet. Pierce was a violinist for the Cincinnati Youth Concert Orchestra and the CSYO Nouveau Chamber Players, as well as a violist in the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, throughout her high school education. Still, the musical journey for all of the Fellows has mainly taken place in student ensembles or the studio.

Through the program, the Fellows will get 100-110 playing hours (including rehearsals and performances) each year with the CSO and Pops, as well as Lollipop and educational outreach concerts. Sitting among the pros already has given Curry a few “aha” moments. “I have come to realize that the refinement you hear in professionals’ playing is just constantly and diligently building a piece of music brick by brick,” he says. “It’s not magic, just hard work and working smart. That’s comforting to know, because I can do that, too.”

Once a student receives an audition date and time, mentors Lee and Liu advise students to play through the audition repertoire every day at that same time for several weeks prior to the audition.

Yang Liu also offers advice on what to eat the day of the audition: “a banana, chocolate or something with sugar,” he says. And what not to eat: “No caffeine or energy drinks, because they will increase your heart rate and your hands will start to shake.”

“When I started this Fellowship, I knew there would be a lot of benefits, but it’s so much more than I imagined,” Wilson says. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I’m certainly going to make the most of it.”