Kim, a Korean American, was upset by the perceived racism in classical music, particularly towards Asian string players. He felt marginalized and dehumanized, describing the treatment as akin to being treated like cattle or mechanical robots. Despite his efforts to promote a more inclusive culture in the orchestra, his white colleagues in San Francisco did not share his sense of urgency. Feeling isolated and frustrated, Kim, aged 40, started to doubt his career path and eventually resigned from a committee focused on equity and inclusion within the orchestra. And following the group's return to live performances in May, he decided to take a break because he was often too upset to play. "Despite speaking loudly, I felt like no one could see me," Kim explained. "I began to lose my love for music." Artists with origins in China, Japan, South Korea, and other countries are well-represented in classical music, excelling in competitions and holding prominent positions in orchestras and music schools. Renowned performers like Chinese American cellist Yo-Yo Ma, Japanese American violinist Midori, and Chinese pianist Lang Lang are highly sought after worldwide. However, despite the success of certain Asian artists, many still experience regular racism and discrimination. In interviews with over 40 orchestra players, soloists, opera singers, composers, students, teachers, and administrators, it was found that Asian artists often face stereotypes that their music lacks emotion and is overly mechanical. They are often viewed as exotic and outsiders in a field that primarily stems from Europe. Additionally, they are accused of disrespecting cultural traditions that do not belong to them, and are frequently subjected to online harassment and racial slurs. Despite their representation in classical music, many artists of Asian descent do not feel acknowledged. Nina Shekhar, a 26-year-old Indian American composer, expressed frustration at not always being able to create the type of music she wants, as her work is often unfairly labeled as having Indian influences. She finds this invalidating. While the number of Asian soloists and orchestra musicians has increased in recent years, Black and Latino artists are still underrepresented in various areas of the music industry, such as opera, composition, conducting, arts administration, and leadership roles on cultural boards. The lack of Asian role models in these fields has made success seem difficult to attain, leading some artists, like Xian Zhang, music director of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, to feel like they are in danger of becoming extinct in the industry. Zhang, a Chinese American conductor, is among a limited group of Asian women leading prominent ensembles. She has faced challenges in gaining respect from male musicians, particularly during guest appearances in Europe. The increase in anti-Asian hate incidents has sparked demands for greater representation of Asians in leadership roles and in the spotlight within cultural organizations. Classical music has historically been slow to change and adapt, with persistent stereotypes about Asians still prevalent. In a recent incident, renowned violinist and conductor Pinchas Zukerman faced criticism for making racist remarks about Asians during a Juilliard master class, for which he later apologized. Many successful artists in the industry have also experienced the negative impact of casual racism on their careers. Sumi Jo, a 58-year-old celebrated coloratura soprano from South Korea, shared how she had roles taken away because directors felt she did not have a white enough appearance. She emphasized the need for Asians to work much harder to succeed in the industry. Artists of Asian descent have faced stereotypes and racism dating back to the 1960s and '70s when they immigrated to the United States to pursue music. Media reports at the time perpetuated stereotypes about their nimble fingers being ideal for playing stringed instruments. Despite these challenges, Asian artists have made strides in the music industry over time. As of 2014, Asian musicians made up approximately 9% of large ensembles, as reported by the League of American Orchestras. This percentage is higher than the overall Asian population representation in the United States, which is around 6%. In prestigious orchestras like the New York Philharmonic, the proportion of Asian musicians is even greater, accounting for one-third of the orchestra. However, in Europe, the representation of Asian musicians is lower in some orchestras compared to the general population, such as in the London Symphony Orchestra where less than 4% of players have Asian roots despite Asians making up over 18% of London's population. Despite these statistics, racist stereotypes of Asian artists persist, with some conductors making derogatory comments about their appearance. Some individuals have been deemed too weak and young by audition committees to be taken seriously, while others have been told their names are too difficult to pronounce or remember. Akiko Tarumoto, the assistant concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, shared that musicians of Asian descent in the orchestra are sometimes mistaken for each other and referred to by stereotypical terms such as "Chinese girls." Renowned soloists like Lang Lang have attempted to challenge these stereotypes by embracing a more expressive style in performance. Another Chinese pianist, Yuja Wang, has attempted to mock the stereotype of Asians being robots, with varying degrees of success. This stereotype is partially linked to misunderstandings about the Suzuki method of music education. Despite originating in Japan in the 1950s and being criticized in the West for creating uniform musicians, the Suzuki method is still widely used, even by non-Asian students. In 2019, Wang took part in a controversial concert at Carnegie Hall with a comedy duo, where crude jokes were made about her sexual attractiveness and Chinese background. Wang, who is 34 years old, shared in an interview that early in her career, she encountered stereotypes that she was skilled technically but lacked emotional depth. She expressed her discontent with being unfairly grouped and limited by these stereotypes. While Wang stated that she has not encountered blatant racism often, she has sometimes felt like an outsider in the industry, particularly when her name is mispronounced or she is not taken seriously. Other well-known soloists such as Lang, Yo-Yo Ma, Midori, and Mitsuko Uchida declined to discuss race publicly. Zubin Mehta, a highly respected conductor of Indian descent, claimed to have never experienced racism in the industry and believed that Asians were not discriminated against. He expressed sympathy for those who felt mistreated but was not aware of any significant issues. Ray Chen, a violinist from Taiwan who now lives in Australia and has a strong social media following, has encountered surprise from audience members who doubted his ability to play composers like Mendelssohn, claiming music is not in his blood. Despite the belief that discrimination in the classical music industry has decreased, Chen struggled to find opportunities in Europe earlier in his career due to his Asian heritage. He believes that people in the industry often get offended when artists do not adhere to traditional rules and cultural norms, hindering progress and innovation. Female artists of Asian descent face even more challenges, such as being stereotyped as exotic and submissive. Soyeon Kate Lee, a Korean American pianist, shared an experience where a conductor made inappropriate comments about her in front of other orchestra leaders, highlighting the additional obstacles these artists face. Xenophobic beliefs that Asians are dominating orchestra jobs or spots at conservatories are widespread. Yuka Kadota, a violinist with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, compared Asian musicians to invasive species like carp or murder hornets. Kadota, a Japanese American, expressed feeling self-conscious and apologetic during a recent performance where four out of five players were of Asian descent. She expressed a desire for people not to think they are taking over. Despite progress in orchestras, people of Asian descent are still underrepresented in areas like conducting, composition, and opera. Conductor Mei-Ann Chen, music director of the Chicago Sinfonietta and incoming leader of Recreation - Grosses Orchester Graz in Austria, stated that she accepts rejection as part of her reality. Chen, a 48-year-old Taiwanese woman, shared that donors and presenters have backed out of meetings and performance opportunities upon discovering her Asian heritage. Despite facing discrimination, she persevered. While arts organizations have pledged to showcase a broader range of composers, artists of Asian descent feel marginalized, with only a small percentage of works by Asian composers included in American orchestras' 2021-22 season programs, according to a study by the Institute for Composer Diversity at the State University of New York at Fredonia. The lack of Asian representation in opera, a genre that has historically struggled with diversity, is especially noticeable. At the Metropolitan Opera, the largest performing arts organization in the U.S., only 6% of the principal roles for next season are filled by singers of Asian descent, despite Asians making up 14% of New York City's population. While there is a significant number of Asians in prestigious vocal programs, such as the Manhattan School of Music where 47% of students in the vocal arts department are Asian, they are not equally represented on opera stages. Nicholas Phan, a 42-year-old tenor of Chinese and Greek heritage, believes that Asians are often perceived as technically skilled but lacking in artistic depth. Phan was once advised by a teacher to use a non-Chinese surname to avoid being pigeonholed as just another Asian singer. Asians in opera are frequently cast in stereotypical roles like Cio-Cio San in "Madama Butterfly" or the princess in "Turandot," both of which have been criticized for their racist portrayals. Despite this, Chinese soprano He Hui enjoys singing Butterfly, a role she is known for. Mezzo-soprano Nina Yoshida Nelsen, who is part Japanese, has found that most of her performances in the past decade have been in stereotypical Asian roles. Nelsen recently called for an end to being typecast based on her race, and soon received three offers for non-stereotypical roles. Pushing for Change, Sou-Chun Su, a Taiwan-born violinist in the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, emphasized the importance of speaking up and not being afraid. He noted the difficulty in getting the orchestra leaders to address concerns raised by Asian players until the tragic shooting in Atlanta in March. Su expressed that it was unfortunate that it took such a tragedy to prompt action. The orchestra acknowledged the need for a more inclusive culture but recognized there is still much work to be done. Hyeyung Yoon, a former member of the Chiara String Quartet, founded Asian Musical Voices of America to provide a platform for performers of Asian descent to discuss issues of racism and identity. The alliance hosts monthly meetings on Zoom. Yoon mentioned that Asians are often left out of discussions in cultural institutions about increasing diversity in classical music because it is assumed they are already well-represented. She pointed out that the Asian experience is rarely acknowledged. Some artists, like Miran Kim, have used social media to challenge their employers. Kim, a violinist of South Korean descent at the Metropolitan Opera, recently expressed her frustration on Twitter about playing pieces with racist stereotypes, such as "Madama Butterfly." She also criticized the Met for selling a Butterfly-themed sleep mask that she felt was culturally insensitive. Kim, 31, stated in an interview that Asians are not adequately included in leadership positions. "We are not included in the discussion." Some progress has been made, as 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 reconsidering his career, expressed his frustration with disagreements among colleagues regarding public statements on racism. He also believes the orchestra does not adequately showcase composers of color. Kim, who has been 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 troubled by the industry's lack of self-awareness, entitlement, and disregard for social justice. Kim believes that change in classical music, which he describes as "racism disguised as art," will only come when it confronts its history of intolerance. Despite Asians being visible in orchestras and ensembles, Kim questions if they are truly accepted in these spaces.