Here We Go Again

[Modernistfan]

Here we go again--a young American conductor who happens to be African-American and who is getting rave notices and a significant appointment in Europe but who is virtually ignored in the United States. Ryan Bancroft is from Los Angeles; he won the prestigious Malko Conducting Competition in Denmark and has now been appointed Principal Conductor of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales in the United Kingdom. Yet, he has gotten virtually no recognition in the United States. Yes, I realize that any American conductor of any ethnicity seemingly ranks behind the Assistant Vice-Kapellmeister of the Kleinmachnow Philharmoniker when it comes to getting jobs in the United States, but, with respect to African-American conductors, we seem to be going back to where we were 50 or 60 years ago. When will American orchestral managements wake up?

(Of course, look at how long it took the NFL to really give a fair shot to African-Americans at the quarterback position, but at least that has clearly changed, judged by the weekly quarterbacking statistics.)

[John F]

Bancroft, still in his 20s, apparently hasn't much professional experience; he won the Malko competition only last year. The BBC National Orchestra of Wales is not at all a prestige position even among the BBC's five radio orchestras. And I see from their web site that they have extended the contract of their previous music director Tadaaki Otaka, now conductor laureate, for three years, matching Bancroft's 3-year contract, so they're putting their eggs in two baskets. If Bancroft is any good, we'll be hearing from him.