Arts/Entertainment Government  

Bethesda’s Strathmore Hall Hosts Cancelled ‘DEI’ Orchestra

Last Sunday, the Music Center at Strathmore in Bethesda held a one of kind performance.

Originally planned for early May at an arts center in Alexandria, the concert held there had been cancelled by President Trump’s Executive Order barring all government support of “diversity events”.

The orchestra assembled was chosen through a contest sponsored by the U.S. Marine Band and an organization called Equity Arc. Twenty-two music students from around the country joined former band members from every branch of the military to play works by John Phillip Sousa.

The concert was originally billed as the “Equity Arc Wind Symphony”. It was an expansion of Equity Arc’s national programs for pre-college musicians of color.

Here’s what Strathmore’s CEO and President Monica Jeffries Hazangeles told MCM about the event:
We were glad we could accommodate these talented student musicians and retired military musicians. We knew how much this concert meant to the students, and the opportunity to collaborate aligned with our commitment to equity and inclusion, mentorship, and artistic partnership. Expanding access to the arts and nurturing young artists is at the heart of what we do. It was a privilege to welcome these remarkable student musicians and see this meaningful performance come to life in our hall.

The CBS program “60 Minutes” paid for the students’ transportation to the Music Center. To watch their story click here.

photo courtesy Equity Arc

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