Joe and Yumi on Speaking Up and Taking Action

Joe and Yumi on Speaking Up and Taking Action

Welcome to Tacet No More: where we are asking the questions that need to be asked, and saying the things that need to be said about classical music.

This is a landing pad for positive discussions about our belief in the power of music to better humanity, and we will invite voices - from all sectors - to inspire us and the work we do on and off the stage.

In this first episode of the second season, we discuss:

• How to harness positive thinking as fuel for changemaking
• The orchestra sector’s reckoning with sexual assault in light of the news about Cara Kizer and the New York Philharmonic
• The importance of showing up and being a vocal advocate
• When speaking out isn’t enough, and how to move toward action
• What it means to practice citizenship from positions of privilege within an orchestra
• How to prioritize being informed and preparing to be a changemaker, even if you're early in your career

What’s your one good thing?

We’re kicking off every episode with an activity, One Good Thing. This activity will center us as we start our conversations to bring connections and openness while orienting us to the positive.

It’s like shining a flashlight in a dark room so that we pay attention to our experience.

“And so hearing from all of you with your own individual, one good thing. really helps expand the energy that Joe and I are here in the recording studio experiencing together. It helps magnify. It helps spread emotional sunshine. And we would love to do that with all of you.” - Yumi

So, we want to ask you, what is something meaningful? What is something you’re grateful for recently? We’d love for you to share your One Good Thing with us by sharing it on your Instagram Stories. Don’t forget to tag @TacetNoMore and hashtag #OneGoodThingTNM so we can see and share!

ABOUT THE EPISODE:

Spreading the TNM Mission

Joe and Yumi talk about the impact working on the first season had on them and the community, and how exciting it is to be back and approaching the second season without hesitation. They talk about opportunities they’ve had recently to share about their musical craft and the message behind Tacet No More in new forums, including at the Association of Program Directors in Surgery convention. They talk about the superpower musicians have to share about their passion for their work as a way to inspire people in other fields.

Confronting the Status Quo

Joe and Yumi discuss the news about sexual assault in classical music organizations that has been prominent in the field lately, focusing on the story of Cara Kizer and the New York Philharmonic. They highlight that Katherine Needleman’s advocacy has brought to light many similar stories in other institutions.

Joe recently attended a protest in New York in support of Cara, and Joe and Yumi discuss the importance of showing up and making your presence known in support of those whose voices have been silenced. They highlight the various ways you can choose to speak out, and give an example of an open letter Joe wrote to the students of Project 440 in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd.

They also acknowledge that sometimes speaking up isn’t enough, and that words must lead to action. They talk about the ways in which tenured orchestra musicians can work from their places of privilege to enact change.

“But the idea of leaning into that discomfort, trusting that the outcome will alleviate that weight and the heaviness of that discomfort because the outcome means a safe work environment. The outcome...