Manhattan School of Music, one of the premier music schools in the United States, announced a roster of 24 Black artists ranging from instrumentalists to educators, authors, activists, composers, and singers to become Artists Scholars.

The illustrious roster includes Pulitzer Prize winning composer Anthony Davis, classical pianist Lara Downes, and novelist Tayari Jones. The Artists Scholars will take part in forums, panels, seminars, discussion groups, collaborations, and mentorship. The role of the Scholars is to relate their experiences and observations about diversity, equity, and inclusion to foster discussion within the MSM Community.

In the press release, MSM President James Gandre stated, “After America’s especially difficult spring, summer, and fall, MSM’s full embrace of the urgency of the Black Lives Matter movement has inspired several important and meaningful new and ongoing initiatives and partnerships at the School. Our new Artist Scholars initiative is one such program, reflecting our strong belief in consistent dialogue and shared experience as an essential element in healing, coming together, and learning to value our differences, all while moving forward with strength and vitality.”

Spearheading the program are MSM’s Chief of Staff (Office of the President) and Assistant Vice President for Special Initiatives, Alexa Smith. The Artist Scholar program is part of the School’s larger Cultural Inclusion Initiative, extending two other MSM diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives: The Black Creator’s Initiative, announced earlier this summer by MSM President James Gandre, and Executive Vice President and Provost Joyce Griggs’ curriculum review to ensure instruction and performances demonstrate a more complete representation of artists and creators. The Artists Scholars will promote critical thinking as MSM addresses systemic inequality that has excluded diverse artists from the canon.

In the Artist Scholars announcement, MSM named pianist Downes first Artist Citizen in Residence. Her participation and contribution will aid students’ examination of how and why a diverse program built with inclusion in mind is paramount for up-and-coming artists.

“MSM has long promoted students’ engagement with community partners,” Provost Griggs said in the release. “We will use this moment to expand those partnerships and deepen our connections locally, particularly with West Harlem. Lara’s experiences make her the ideal inaugural Artist Citizen.”

The 2020-2021 Artist Scholars are:

• Gary Bartz: legendary saxophonist
• LaSaundra Booth: Founder, Wake Forest Community Youth Orchestra, SphinxLEAD
• Terri Lyne Carrington, drummer; composer; producer; 2020 NEA Jazz Master; Founder and Artistic Director of the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice
• Katie Brown and Dalanie Harris: Hosts, The Classically Black Podcast
• Anthony Davis: Pulitzer Prize-winning composer (The Central Park Five, Amistad, X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X)
• Bill Doggett: guest lecturer, historian
• Lara Downes: pianist, activist
• Tia Fuller: saxophonist; composer; band leader
• Jarvis Antonio Green: actor; director; Producer, JAG Productions
• Imani Winds: Grammy-nominated wind quintet (Mark Dover [MM ’12], Monica Ellis [PS ’98], Brandon Patrick George [MM ’10], Jeff Scott (BM ’90), Toyin Spellman Diaz [MM ’97, PS ’98])
• Tayari Jones: author; winner, 2019 Women’s Prize for Fiction for An American Marriage
• Tesia Kwarteng (MM ’13): mezzo-soprano
• Alex Laing (MM ’98): Principal Clarinet, Phoenix Symphony; educator
• M Lamar: composer, performer
• Erich McMillan-McCall: actor; producer; and advocate
• Charles Chip McNeal: Director of Diversity, Equity, and Community, San Francisco Opera
• Garrett McQueen: bassoonist; TRILLOQUY podcast
• Malcolm J. Merriweather (DMA ’15): conductor, baritone
• Jasmine Muhammad (MM ’12): soprano
• Jannina Norpoth (BM ’03): violinist, PUBLIQuartet; SphinxLEAD
• Kristal Pacific: Director of Social Equity and Grantmaking, Opera America; SphinxLEAD
• Ken Roberson: choreographer
• Britton Smith: actor; Artistic Director, The Broadway Advocacy Coalition
• Adina Williams: Director of Community Engagement and Education, Camille A. Brown