Kim, a Korean American, was upset by the perceived racism in classical music, particularly towards Asian string players. He felt they were marginalized and mistreated, likening them to cattle or mechanical robots. Kim believed his white colleagues in the San Francisco orchestra did not share his sense of urgency in creating a more inclusive culture for Asian, Black, and Latino players. Feeling isolated and frustrated, Kim, 40, began to reconsider his career. In March, he resigned from his position as the only musician of color on an orchestra committee dedicated to equity and inclusion. After the group started performing again in May, he took a break because he was too upset to play. Despite speaking loudly, he felt invisible and lost his love for music. Artists from China, Japan, South Korea, and other countries are well represented in classical music, winning competitions and holding significant positions in orchestras and conservatories. Renowned performers like Yo-Yo Ma, Midori, and Lang Lang are some of the most popular artists globally. However, despite the success of certain Asian artists, a significant number of them experience regular racism and discrimination. In interviews with over 40 orchestra players, soloists, opera singers, composers, students, teachers, and administrators, it was revealed that Asian artists often deal with stereotypes that their music lacks emotion and is robotic. They are often seen as exotic and outsiders in a field dominated by European traditions. Additionally, they are accused of disrespecting cultural norms that do not belong to them and are frequent targets of online harassment and racial insults. While Asian artists may have a presence in classical music, many feel invisible and unheard. Nina Shekhar, a 26-year-old Indian American composer, expressed frustration that her music is often wrongly labeled as having Indian influences, saying it feels invalidating. While there has been an increase in Asian soloists and orchestra musicians, other areas of the industry such as opera, composition, conducting, arts administration, and cultural institution boards still lack Asian representation. This lack of role models has made success in these fields seem difficult to attain, with some artists feeling like endangered species. Xian Zhang, music director of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, echoed this sentiment. Zhang is a Chinese American conductor who is part of a small group of Asian women leading important musical ensembles. She has faced challenges in gaining respect from male musicians, particularly during guest conducting appearances in Europe. The increase in anti-Asian hate has prompted musicians to form advocacy groups and urge cultural organizations to include more Asian leaders and showcase Asian artists and composers. Classical music has been slow to change over time and has faced persistent stereotypes about Asians. In a recent incident, renowned violinist and conductor Pinchas Zukerman faced backlash for making racist comments about Asians during a Juilliard master class, for which he later apologized. Some successful artists in the industry have also experienced a climate of casual racism impacting their careers. Sumi Jo, a well-known coloratura soprano from South Korea who is 58 years old, shared that she has had roles taken away from her because directors felt she did not look white enough. She emphasized that Asian artists must work much harder to achieve success. Artists of Asian descent have faced stereotypes and discrimination for decades, dating back to the 1960s and '70s when musicians from Japan, Korea, and other parts of East Asia came to the United States. A report in Time magazine from 1967, titled "Invasion From the Orient," exemplified the prevailing attitudes of the time. Despite these challenges, Asian artists have made progress in gaining recognition in orchestras and on the concert circuit. As of 2014, Asian musicians comprised around 9% of large ensembles, surpassing their representation in the general U.S. population. In prestigious orchestras like the New York Philharmonic, Asians make up a third of the musicians. In contrast, European orchestras have much lower percentages of Asian musicians, despite higher Asian populations in cities like London. Despite this progress, Asian artists still face racial stereotypes, with some conductors likening them to computer engineers rather than classical musicians. Audition committees have criticized some individuals as being too weak and young to be taken seriously, while others have been told their names are too difficult to pronounce or remember. Akiko Tarumoto, assistant concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, mentioned feeling like an automaton in the industry. She highlighted the issue of musicians of Asian descent being mistaken for each other and referred to by generic terms like "Chinese girls." Renowned soloists like Lang Lang have tried to challenge stereotypes by embracing expressive styles in their performances. Yuja Wang, a Chinese pianist, has attempted to mock the stereotype of Asians as robotic, which some scholars believe is partly due to misunderstandings about the Suzuki method of music education. This method, which originated in Japan in the 1950s, has been criticized in the West for producing musicians who lack individuality, but is still widely used, even among non-Asian students. In 2019, Wang participated in a controversial concert at Carnegie Hall with a comedy duo that included crude jokes about her sexuality and Chinese background. Wang, who is 34 years old, stated in an interview that early in her career she faced stereotypes that she was skilled technically but lacked emotional depth. She expressed dissatisfaction with being labeled and put into a narrow category. While Wang stated that she has not often encountered blatant racism, she has sometimes felt like an outsider in the industry due to others mispronouncing her name or not taking her seriously. Other well-known soloists such as Lang Lang, Yo-Yo Ma, Midori, and Mitsuko Uchida declined to comment on the issue of race. Zubin Mehta, an influential Indian conductor, claimed to have never faced racism in the industry and did not believe that Asians were discriminated against. He expressed sympathy for those who felt mistreated but said he was unaware of any significant issues. Ray Chen, a Taiwanese Australian violinist with a strong social media following, has encountered surprise from audience members who question his ability to play composers like Mendelssohn due to his background. Despite believing that discrimination is decreasing, he faced challenges in Europe earlier in his career, attributing some of the difficulties to his Asian heritage. Chen, now 32, criticizes the classical music industry for its aversion to new ideas. Female artists of Asian descent, like Korean American pianist Soyeon Kate Lee, also face stereotypes and obstacles, such as being viewed as exotic and submissive. Lee recounted a disturbing incident where a conductor made inappropriate comments about her in front of other orchestra leaders. Xenophobic claims that Asians are displacing orchestra jobs or spots in conservatories are frequently made. Yuka Kadota, a violinist with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, compared Asian musicians to "invasive species" like carp or murder hornets. Kadota, who is Japanese American, expressed feeling self-conscious and apologetic during a recent performance where four out of five players were of Asian descent. She stated, "I don't want people to think we're taking over." Despite progress in orchestras, individuals of Asian descent are still underrepresented in areas such as conducting, composition, and opera. Mei-Ann Chen, a conductor serving as music director of the Chicago Sinfonietta and the upcoming leader of Recreation — Grosses Orchester Graz in Austria, shared that she has learned to accept rejection as part of her reality. Chen, a 48-year-old woman from Taiwan, shared that donors and presenters have canceled meetings and opportunities for her after discovering her Asian background. Despite facing discrimination, she persevered to come this far. While arts organizations have pledged to showcase works by a more diverse group of composers, artists of Asian descent feel excluded, except for concerts during holidays like Lunar New Year. An analysis of 88 American orchestras by the Institute for Composer Diversity at the State University of New York at Fredonia found that works by Asian composers make up only about 2% of pieces planned for the 2021-22 season. The lack of Asian artists in opera is especially noticeable, as the Metropolitan Opera, the largest performing arts organization in the US, only has 14 out of 233 singers of Asian descent cast in principal roles for the upcoming season. Despite Asians making up 14% of New York City's population, they are disproportionately underrepresented on opera stages, even though many are enrolled in vocal programs at conservatories such as the Manhattan School of Music. Nicholas Phan, a 42-year-old tenor of Chinese and Greek heritage, noted that Asians are often viewed as technically skilled but lacking in artistic depth. Phan shared an experience where a teacher advised him to use a non-Chinese surname to avoid being dismissed as just another Asian singer. Asian performers in opera are frequently typecast in roles like Cio-Cio San in "Madama Butterfly" or the princess in "Turandot," which have been criticized for racist portrayals. Despite this, Chinese soprano He Hui enjoys singing Butterfly. Mezzo-soprano Nina Yoshida Nelsen, who is half Japanese, expressed frustration at being mostly cast in stereotypical Asian roles in her career. After speaking out against typecasting on social media, Nelsen received three offers for non-stereotypical roles within a week. Advocating for Change "It is time for us to voice our opinions without fear," stated Sou-Chun Su, a 53-year-old violinist from Taiwan who has been a member of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra since 1990. Su mentioned the challenge of getting orchestra leaders to address the concerns of Asian musicians until the tragic shooting in Atlanta in March, which sparked widespread outrage. "It is unfortunate that it took such a tragic event for change to occur," Su remarked. The orchestra released a statement acknowledging the need to create a more inclusive environment, but recognized that there is still much work to be done. Hyeyung Yoon, a former member of the Chiara String Quartet, established Asian Musical Voices of America last year to provide a platform for artists of Asian descent to discuss issues of racism and identity. The group now holds monthly meetings over Zoom. Yoon noted that Asians are often left out of conversations about increasing diversity in classical music because it is assumed they are already well-represented. She pointed out that the Asian perspective is rarely heard in these discussions. Some artists, like Miran Kim, have used social media to speak out against their employers. Kim, a South Korean violinist at the Metropolitan Opera, recently expressed her frustration on Twitter about performing works with racist stereotypes, such as "Madama Butterfly." She also criticized the Met for selling a Butterfly-themed sleep mask that she found offensive. Kim, 31, highlighted the lack of Asian representation in leadership roles in the industry. "We are not included in the discussion." There have been some improvements. San Francisco Opera is set to welcome Eun Sun Kim, a South Korean conductor, as its music director next month, making her the first woman to hold such a position at a major American opera company. However, there are still major obstacles to overcome. David Kim, a violist at the San Francisco Symphony who is reevaluating his career, has expressed frustration with disagreements among colleagues on issues such as the wording of public statements on racism. He also believes the orchestra does not do sufficient to showcase composers of color. Kim, who has been a part of the ensemble since 2009, expressed feelings of loss upon realizing that his work as a classical musician no longer reflects his values. He is critical of an industry that he believes lacks self-awareness, is entitled, and lacks regard for social justice. Kim believes that change will not occur in classical music until it confronts its history of intolerance, which he describes as "racism disguised as art." While Asians may be superficially accepted in orchestras and ensembles, Kim questions whether they are truly embraced.