It's been almost two years since the murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis Police. Shortly after that terrible day, as millions across America were reacting and protesting, Anthony McGill — principal clarinet with the New York Philharmonic and a highly accomplished and praised chamber musician — came up with his own way of expressing his grief and anger.
On May 27, 2020, McGill posted a solo performance of "America the Beautiful" to Facebook. McGill's rendition takes a sorrowful turn into a minor key, signaling both the sadness of the moment and the long history of racial injustice in America. At the end of the short video, he tucks his clarinet behind his back and sinks to his knees. In an accompanying statement, he challenged fellow musicians and Americans in general to shine a light on racism in their own way using the hashtag #TakeTwoKnees — which he says is an echo of former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick's kneeling protests of police violence.
In anticipation of McGill's Schubert Club performance at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, Steve Seel returned to the subject of #TakeTwoKnees with McGill, as part of a wide-ranging discussion on issues of race and equity in classical music and beyond. The two also discussed how the many different facets of McGill's activism made an impact in his being awarded the Avery Fisher Prize, one of the highest awards a classical musician can receive in America.
Listen to the interview above.
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