Overcoming Sudden Adversity, Young Musicians Score Important Victories

Washington, DC – March 16

At the Music Center at Strathmore near Washington, D.C., a concert by the Equity Arc Wind Symphony and veteran military musicians was more than a performance – it was a profound act of mentorship and peacebuilding. Originally planned with “The President’s Own” U.S. Marine Band, the event faced cancellation due to recent executive orders affecting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Yet, through the universal language of music, young artists of color and seasoned musicians transformed adversity into a nurturing ground for the global peacemakers of tomorrow.

The concert featured 22 pre-college musicians from historically underrepresented backgrounds, selected through competitive virtual auditions by Equity Arc, a Chicago-based nonprofit dedicated to mentoring young BIPOC musicians. The original program, set for May 4, 2025, at the Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall in Alexandria, Va., promised a multi-day intensive with the Marine Band, culminating in a side-by-side performance. Pieces like John Philip Sousa’s “Nobles of the Mystic Shrine” and Lt. Col. Ryan Nowlin’s “Let Freedom Ring” were chosen to bridge tradition and innovation, reflecting the shared values of discipline and creativity.

When executive orders in February halted the collaboration, the setback hit hard. “I had prepared, done everything I could to be at the top,” said Rishab Jain, an Indian-American student participant, in a CBS News interview. “Being told we couldn’t perform felt like it was because of who we are.” For ICAP, which champions art as a tool for peace and the development of youth as future peacemakers, this moment called for action – not despair.

Equity Arc reached out to retired military musicians, and the response was immediate. Veterans from the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard, Westpoint, and the Naval Academy came together, forming what CBS’s 60 Minutes called an “improvised orchestra of equity.” John Abbracciamento, a retired Marine Band trumpeter, summed up the spirit: “I just felt like, well, there’s usually two responses to something. You can complain about it, or you could do something about it. I chose the latter within seconds.”

Under the baton of renowned conductor Dr. Rodney Dorsey, the reimagined concert became a mentorship crucible. Young musicians performed alongside their veteran counterparts, learning not just technique but the deeper lesson of resilience through art. Pieces like “Sweet Chariot” by composer Simon, blending African American spirituals and Gregorian chants, spoke to shared histories, while Charoensri’s “Rising Light” – inspired by his experiences of anti-Asian hate during the pandemic – voiced a peaceful yet powerful protest. As “America the Beautiful” echoed through Strathmore, it carried a message of unity, a lesson in peacebuilding for the youth who played it.

ICAP sees this event as a living embodiment of its mission to develop young people as global peacemakers. The concert was a space where mentorship transcended generations, where music became a dialogue fostering understanding and love. “This recognition of our shared being is love,” said an Equity Arc mentor, echoing ICAP’s belief that love through art is indiscriminate and unconditional. For the young musicians, like Zakyya McClenny, a clarinetist from Philadelphia’s Play On Philly program, the experience was transformative: “It was like playing with family.” Veterans, too, found renewal. Jennifer Marotta, another retired Marine Band trumpeter, reflected, “These kids reminded us why we picked up our instruments in the first place – to connect, to heal, to build something beautiful together.”

Chicago – April 6

Following on from the rousing Wind Symphony performance, young virtuosos of the Equity Arc Pathways Orchestra filled Chicago’s historic Orchestra Hall with their vibrant sounds. The talented ensemble of more than 60 pre-college musicians from across the U.S. presented this free concert, part of the 2025 Equity Arc Annual Convening. This coalition is dedicated to empowering young musicians from underrepresented communities in classical music, offering intensive training to help them realize their artistic ambitions.

The program featured a captivating performance of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Ballade in A minor, conducted by Kyle Dickson.

Participants in the Pathways Orchestra earn their spots through a highly selective national audition process, gaining the opportunity to take part in an immersive musical program. The concert marks the pinnacle of their efforts, with the young artists performing alongside more than a dozen professionals from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, creating a powerful and inspiring collaboration.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker attended the event, applauding the orchestra’s dedication to equity in classical music. Backstage, he met with several musicians, praising their commitment and encouraging them to continue breaking barriers in the arts.

Equity Arc is a national organization dedicated to mentoring BIPOC youth in classical music. They hosted the event in partnership with the Negaunee Music Institute. The concert capped a weekend of rehearsals, masterclasses, and a college fair, empowering students to pursue musical careers. Attendees praised the orchestra’s energy and professionalism.

The Chicago Symphony and Orchestra Hall hold a particular significance for ICAP. For it was on a winter day in 1952, when an 11-year-old pianist took the Orchestra Hall stage, his small frame juxtaposed against the imposing grand piano. That young musician was now–ICAP President Herbie Hancock, who performed the first movement of Mozart’s “Coronation” Piano Concerto with the prestigious Chicago Symphony.

Mr. Hancock had earned this remarkable opportunity by winning the CSO Youth Auditions, demonstrating technical skill and musicality far beyond his years.

“I thought I would be a concert pianist, a classical musician,” Hancock has revealed in interviews when reflecting on this period. At the time, his musical world consisted primarily of classical compositions and rhythm and blues. Jazz – the genre that would later define his career – wasn’t yet on his radar, as he considered it music “for older people.”

It wasn’t until high school that Hancock’s musical trajectory shifted. Watching a classmate improvise during a school variety show opened his eyes to the creative possibilities of spontaneous musical creation, setting him on the path toward becoming one of the most innovative and influential jazz musicians of all time.

For more information on Equity Arc’s initiatives or to support their efforts in mentoring young musicians, visit equityarc.org.

Orchestra Hall/Chicago photos by Todd Rosenberg