Black Orchestral Network

Black Orchestral Network 🤵🏿‍♂️Cultivating Community🤵🏿‍♀️
📢Lifting Our Voices 📢
🎙️Telling Our Stories 🎙️

The mission of the Black Orchestral Network (BON) is to support Black orchestral musicians by Cultivating Community, Lifting Our Voices, and Telling Our Stories.

10/08/2026

At last year’s BON Summit in Atlanta, we asked student panelists what inspired them to pursue careers in music and where they saw their futures in the industry.

Hear from Johannes Escobar, a recent graduate of Clark Atlanta University, as he shares why he chose to pursue a career in artist management.

At BON, we believe in creating opportunities for the next generation to learn, connect, and explore the many possibilities within the orchestral industry and beyond.

🎓 Students, there's a place for you at this year's Summit!

Join us on October 17 in Atlanta to meet industry professionals, discover different career paths, build connections, and most importantly, bring your questions!

🎶 Make a weekend of it! Stay for our free instrumental masterclasses on Sunday, October 18. Join the audience to observe guest artists from leading orchestras coaching student performers and sharing valuable insights into technique, interpretation, and musicianship.

📍 Atlanta Music Project
📅 Summit: Saturday, October 17
🎵 Masterclasses: Sunday, October 18

More than a conference. A community.

Learn more and register at the link in bio!

10/08/2026

Students, your voices matter, and we want you to be part of the conversation!

The Black Orchestral Network was founded with a vision of creating a better future in the industry for generations to come. That’s why student voices have always been an important part of our Summit programming.

At our 2025 Summit in Atlanta, we asked our student panelists a simple question: Why pursue a career in music?

Hear from Ariana Swindell, then a senior at Spelman College, as she shares her perspective.

🎓 Students, there’s a place for you at the Summit!

Join us to connect with industry professionals, explore different career paths, share your perspectives, and most importantly, ASK QUESTIONS!

🎶 And stay for Sunday's masterclasses! Join the audience for free instrumental masterclasses featuring guest artists from leading orchestras. Observe students in performance, hear valuable feedback, and gain new perspectives on technique, interpretation, and musicianship.

📍 Atlanta Music Project
📅 Summit: Saturday, October 17
🎵 Masterclasses: Sunday, October 18

More than a conference. A community.

Learn more at https://www.blackorchestralnetwork.org/bon-2026-summit-1
Registration is FREE for students under 26 and for anyone that the registration fee may be a barrier to attendance.

Your music career can have more than one direction. 🎶Performing, teaching, recording, launching a business: your interes...
10/07/2026

Your music career can have more than one direction. 🎶

Performing, teaching, recording, launching a business: your interests can shape a path of your own.

At the Black Orchestral Network 2026 Summit, hear from Jauvon Gilliam, Lady Jess, and Stephanie Matthews in “Your Vision, Your Brand: Building Something With Purpose and Identity.” Discover how they’ve built multifaceted careers across the industry and brought their creative visions to life.

Students, emerging professionals, or musicians looking to add to their portfolio, bring your questions, make connections, and imagine what’s possible for your next chapter.

📍 Atlanta Music Project
🗓️ Saturday, October 17, 2026
Open to everyone. Free registration for attendees under 26 and for those that cost may be a barrier to attendance.

Register at the link below and share this with someone creating their own path.

More than a conference. A community.

https://www.blackorchestralnetwork.org/bon-2026-summit-1

10/05/2026

"I don't have the gatekeeper's keys."

Chi-chi Nwanoku CBE held the principal double bass chair at the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment for 30 years and teaches at the Royal Academy of Music. In this clip she describes the moment people put their hands up and said, "We've just learnt something."

Conversations like this are why the Black Orchestral Network gathers. The 4th Annual Summit is October 17 at Atlanta Music Project. $20 registration, free under 26, free on request if cost is a barrier.

Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-orchestral-network-bon-2026-summit-tickets-1991419411066

All month long, BON will be sharing great news from across our industry, including summer milestones we’ve been looking ...
10/02/2026

All month long, BON will be sharing great news from across our industry, including summer milestones we’ve been looking forward to highlighting.

First up, congratulations to Anderson Johnson III, who is beginning his first season as the recently appointed Principal Tuba of Fort Wayne Philharmonic! 👏🏾

Join us in celebrating Anderson and wishing him a wonderful first season! 🖤

Summer was busy, and we’ve been gearing up for the BON Summit, but we’ve peeped your exciting appointments, graduations,...
10/01/2026

Summer was busy, and we’ve been gearing up for the BON Summit, but we’ve peeped your exciting appointments, graduations, honors, new roles, and more! 👀👏🏾

We have plenty of good news earmarked to share. Some shoutouts may be a little overdue, but we still want to celebrate you! Look out for our summer shoutouts throughout October. 🖤

Have good news to share? Send it our way through our newsletter or by email. If you aren’t on our newsletter list, become a BON member or sign up through https://tr.ee/8ow9f1Qh2T

The Black Orchestral Network 2026 Summit agenda is LIVE!Take a look at the sessions, plan your day, and share with a col...
09/30/2026

The Black Orchestral Network 2026 Summit agenda is LIVE!

Take a look at the sessions, plan your day, and share with a colleague, student, or friend you’d like to bring into the conversation.

📅 October 17, 2026
📍 Atlanta Music Project

More than a conference. A community.

Explore the agenda and register today.
https://www.blackorchestralnetwork.org/2026agenda-1

A Few Performance Spots Are Still Available! 🎻We're looking forward to welcoming student musicians to this year's Black ...
09/28/2026

A Few Performance Spots Are Still Available! 🎻

We're looking forward to welcoming student musicians to this year's Black Orchestral Network (BON) Masterclass Series!

Join us on Sunday, October 18, for an opportunity to work directly with guest artists representing the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, Nashville Symphony, Dallas Opera Orchestra, and Phion Orkest.

Instrumental masterclasses:
Violin/Viola | Cello/Bass | Woodwinds | High Brass | Low Brass

Have an orchestral excerpt, etude, or solo selection you’d like to perform? This is an opportunity to deepen your approach to interpretation, technique, and performance while learning from another artist’s perspective.

All levels, backgrounds, and communities are welcome!
📍 Atlanta Music Project
📅 October 18 | 11:30 AM–2:30 PM ET
FREE to participate and FREE to observe.

A few performer slots remain. LEARN MORE & APPLY! 🔗 https://www.blackorchestralnetwork.org/bon-events/bon-2026-summit-masterclasses

09/26/2026

"Music has been our way of coping with everything." — Dr. Marilyn Johnson

At last year's Summit, we sat down with attendees to capture what the day meant to them. Cellist and BON Steering Committee member Deja Wilson spoke about being in a room with so many melanated classical musicians, something she never had growing up in Texas. Dr. Lexi Ligon Holloway, also on BON's Steering Committee, described the moment that hit hardest: hearing students talk about their hopes for the future and feeling real hope for the Black performers coming up behind them.

This is why we gather again. The 4th Annual Summit returns to Atlanta on October 17.

Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-orchestral-network-bon-2026-summit-tickets-1991419411066

A look back at last year's Summit, and a preview of what's coming again.This year's Black Orchestral Network Summit retu...
09/24/2026

A look back at last year's Summit, and a preview of what's coming again.

This year's Black Orchestral Network Summit returns to Atlanta on October 17. Masterclasses, panel conversations, live performance, and a room that brings together every generation of the field, students, working musicians, and the people who've been doing this work for decades.

A day that brings musicians, administrators, and institutional leaders together, across career stages, in one room. $20 registration, free under 26, free on request if cost is a barrier.

Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-orchestral-network-bon-2026-summit-tickets-1991419411066

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