#77 Ellan

I define myself as a classical musician. My gender, religion, ethnicity, and sexuality have always come second to my music.

In the classical world all parts are equal. Take away a bassoon, or the first violin, or the second flute and you won’t actually be playing Beethoven’s 5th – rather, you’ll have an unbalanced approximation of the working whole.

By choosing to let only the strings play or to just have the brass fanfare you’re doing yourself and the audience a huge disfavour.

Society, to me, is like an orchestra – i.e. Just because there are less oboes than cellos doesn’t mean you can ignore or exclude them.

All parts are needed; every person belongs.