Eric Whitacre is cancelled by That Choir over gender issues
NewsWe present this open letter as a sign of troubled times.
To: The International Choral Community
From: Craig Pike, conductor of That Choir
Date: March 14th, 2022
“Do the best you can until you know better.
Then when you know better, do better”
– Maya Angelou
My name is Craig Pike and I am the conductor of That Choir in Toronto, Canada. I am a cisgender, gay white male.
That Choir had programmed an entire Eric Whitacre performance on May 14th and 15th 2022, as well as a speaking engagement with Mr. Whitacre planned for the end of March 2022.
It is with deep disappointment that I announce the cancellation of these engagements.
Myself and countless other richly, beautiful and diverse people’s from all around the world have nothing but a loving relationship with his music. It has been healing and has offered a better understanding of humanity, strength, care and love.
On Wednesday, March. 9th 2022, Mr. Whitacre, an internationally recognized and prolific choral composer, announced a residency at Brigham Young University. BYU, which is owned and run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has an honor code which includes the following:
“Live a chaste and virtuous life, including abstaining from any sexual relations outside a marriage between a man and a woman” *
This has further been clarified by Kevin Utt, director of BYU’s Honor Code Office to include:
“Any same-sex romantic behaviour is a violation of the principles of the Honor Code.” **
Mr. Whitacre, while offering the chance for a rich musical collaboration with BYU students, is entering into a professional relationship with an organization that openly discriminates against members of the LGBTQI+ community.
I immediately reached out to Mr. Whitacre via the contacts on his website to express my concerns around this decision.
At the time of writing this letter there has been no statement from Mr. Whitacre concerning this decision and the residency remains.
I am saddened and disappointed by Mr. Whitacre’s silence. I myself have been bullied for being gay; beaten up for holding the hand of the person I love.
While I can’t speak to Mr. Whitacre’s intent, I will speak of the impact this decision has made on me and on many within the choral community.
It is not lost on me the privilege afforded me by my white cisgender male status in my ability to openly express these concerns.
This similar privilege offers Mr. Whitacre the opportunity to listen to members of the LGBTQI+ Community and engage in a thoughtful and respectful dialogue around difficult conversations including: internalized homophobia, racism and prejudice within the choral community.
Ethical beliefs are different for every person. What one considers to be ethical may not be ethical to someone else. However, there are beliefs that are divisive and there are beliefs that inspire inclusivity, diversity and equity.
I sincerely hope this letter will further a discussion around human rights, and the urgent necessity to continue difficult and hard conversations that arise when we put inclusivity, diversity and equity at the core of our music making within the choral community.
I believe that we are all given an opportunity to learn from our past, listen to those that are marginalized and enter into this dialogue with compassion, empathy and forgiveness.
Sincerely,
Craig Pike
He/Him
Conductor of That Choir
www.thatchoir.com
A literary magazine based in a department at BYU recently published a short story that foregrounds a same-sex relationship and has a happy ending for the same-sex couple. Before engaging in modern-day Manichaeanism, it might be worth considering that there may be forces at work at BYU that deserve support and that may be strengthened by work with people from outside like Whitacre.
Exactly. Without a doubt there are gay, queer, and trans students at BYU who may be seeking community in the choirs and would benefit so much from working with Whitacre.
So is it finally time to cancel Richard Strauss for being an actual Nazi, or are we just going to continue to cancel the easy stuff?
Pike’s Peak … or Pike’s Valley?
Instead of these tiresome cliches, here’s a suggestion: Spend a few days in Ukraine to understand what being in a dangerous environment actually means.
A very cheap and false comparison – a form of whatabouttism.
While I understand your comparison, trans people are murdered and attempt to take their own lives at wildly higher rates than the general population. It is literally quite dangerous for them to not be accepted!
This isn’t actually true – the murder rate for trans-identified people is much lower than the for the rest of the population (300-something globally last year, and very few because they were trans but for other reasons). Suicide rates are hard to gauge because they are always hugely inflated for political reasons.
This is great publicity for That group. (eyes rolling).
No one is forced to attend BYU. If you’ve ever visited BYU you might recall a strict dress code, notably for women regarding sleeves and skirts. I am not sure now but when I visited in the ‘80s there was to be no hand-holding. There was also no drinking allowed anywhere. Good luck finding coffee there. Caffeine is another of their vices, one would imagine at BYU. If That group’s leader is willing to cancel Whitacre, he should look over the list of other associations with the institution.
It is home to a major archive of viola works, thousands of scores. Should the estates of violists be canceled for leaving scores to BYU?
How about the faculty? How about grads? Where does one draw the line? Should an orchestra be canceled because it hired a BYU grad? There are BYU grads at Google? Stop using Google now?
What is it with this generation? This is amazing marketing, I get “That.”
But really, what is with it?
I see quite a few liberals going to Dubai where there is no hand holding allowed in public and they jail gay people. Double standards.
Ridiculous. This is an artistic residency at an accredited academic institution. I presume That Choir will not work with anyone that has associated with virtually any religious institution. They should also stop singing any music written by any believing member of any religion that has similar views on sex and marriage, which is most composers before the 20th century at least.
The BYU choirs are among the best collegiate choirs in the nation. It’s as much an honor for Whitaker to have an entire concert of theirs devoted solely to his music as it is for them to have him come and conduct!
Eric Whitacre responded to the criticism in a thoughtful, eloquent manner. I can understand the criticism, and I can understand his response.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CbLtkMsv8eq/
That response makes Mr. Pike look very small.
AND: it was a 2-day residency, not a long commitment.
AND: what does his being white have to do with the subject at hand? He is criticising BYU’s position on same-sex relations — fair enough. But what does race have to do with that?
The answer to your question is located fairly far down in the letter:
“It is not lost on me the privilege afforded me by my white cisgender male status in my ability to openly express these concerns.”
Meaning, Mr. Pike feels the personal risk to him in speaking up is less than it would have been for a person of color or of a marginalized gender. He feels it is a luxury that he can speak up and feel one is not at risk of retaliation of some sort.
Thank you for the link to Eric’s beautiful response. This should be part of Norman’s post, for all to read.
Himself and his people’s have a strange relationship with written English.
Indeed. “Myself” as the subject of a sentence was my favorite.
The full form is myhehimself.
I wonder if they also have he/her and she/him.
He is Canadian, at their best, they speak a form of English of their own. Even that doesn’t have an apostrophe in the plural of people though!
As others have commented, I think they will find it hard to support a repertoire with no music by or for faiths which are not supportive of all non-binary LGBTQI+ variants.
No publicity is bad publicity for his choir but I think it may not have done many favours for future collaborations.
I’m convinced that many people are so incapable of determining when to use “I”versus when to use “me” that they use “myself” to avoid having to figure it out. Naturally, explaining why that’s wrong is is an uphill battle given the struggles of the audience.
The misuse and overuse of “myself” is regrettably widespread, perhaps permanently entrenched in the language (at least in the U.S.). Its use is not confined to any one social or political alignment. The “his people” cheap shot is inapt, at best.
Mr. He-Him Pike is the intolerant one. The LDS Church doesn’t discriminate, they do not hate; I know several gay members of the Church and their leaders are well aware of it. But…the LDS Church does teach that homosexual relations are sinful. That’s what their reading of scripture tells them. The Catholic Church is no different: sexual relations between same sex couples is wrong. Why does everyone have to agree with the militant gay lobby or risk being cancelled? Where’s their tolerance? Eric Whiteacre isn’t even Mormon; he’s going there to work with a group that is very tolerant I’d say.
Those religious clubs are ridiculously outdated and ignorant. It is about time they try to reform a bit, on the basis of scientific and enlightened understanding. Such cancellation should be a wake-up call for the latter day saints club (what’s in a name….).
This statement is completely hypocritical. Cancelling is the opposite of dialogue. It is the attempt to annihilate dissenting opinions.
The ‘rule’ of that saints club makes a dialogue impossible. It would be between a party that knows, and a party that doesn’t want to know.
You have correctly stated the BYU position!
This is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever read. We are not in control of other’s actions, only our reactions. Unless Mr. Whitacre would then proclaim BYU values at “That Choir’s” engagement, they have zero business dictating with whom he is allowed to interact outside of their walls. I guess the only thing missing is if Whitacre would be seen eating a Chik-Fil-A sandwich. Unbelievable. Tolerance works in two directions not just toward the expectation that everyone has to share and accept your point of view. To claim that Whitacre working on MUSIC with BYU means he emulates the school’s values is just stupid.
A very stupid comment. When Gergiev is condemned for being supported by a criminal regime, it is understandable that Mr Pike doesn’t want to have anything to do with an organisation which is run on such mentally-retarded codes. Music is about civilised values.
Huge difference between having a relationship with a despot and having one with an organisation whose own values you don’t share.
I suggest that the “That” choir open their next program with “The Lumberjack Song” by the brilliant composer Mr. Monty Python.
Whitacre is a more important figure in choral music than “That Choir” will ever be.
Sadly, this cancellation isn’t surprising as Toronto is arguably the wokest city on the planet.
By the way, Mr Lebrecht: the headline is misleading. Pike’s rationale is not about gender issues, as these are currently understood. His rationale is about same-sex relationships. Gender issues, as the phrase is used today, have to do with people who identify as members of the other sex than that indicated by their bodies. Gay men don’t envisage themselves as women and lesbians don’t envisage themselves as men. But the relentless promotion of the “LGBT” initialism does, alas, encourage a blurring of gay issues and gender issues.
An outrage! This conductor is searching for something to be offended at. Rise above! Embrace excellence and PERFORM.
It has become very difficult to find something to be offended by, because everybody does it. Even being offended by one’s work load is no longer valid.
Sally
In a few years That will be What, and eventually …Was.
He should hire a proofreader for This/That.
Completely ridiculous. You lose my attention when you use the term “cisgender” which is a totally unnecessary, meaningless, made-up word. This is a prime example of cancel culture. It is not comparable to Ukraine. This is “agree with everything I think or you are canceled.” They should change their name to “That narrow-minded Choir.” Shame.
‘Cisgender’ is only for the more optimistic types, people who have travelled that trajectory longer than ca. 5 years, turn into D-flat -genders.
Someone should tell Pike that nobody cares about him or That Choir. Sounds like he is too big for his britches. He is just pandering to cancel culture. He also looks like a jerk.
“At the time of writing this letter there has been no statement from Mr. Whitacre concerning this decision and the residency remains”
As if it is incumbent on the Composer to defend his actions regarding his perfectly legitimate livelihood to some minor choral conductor virtue signaling from his little safe place in Canada. Perhaps “That” choral group will need to cancel 800 years of Christian liturgical music . They (“that”?) can stick to numbers from “Chorus Line ” I need to go back to my old Organic chemistry textbook to figure out whether I am “Cis” “Ortho” or “Para” Off hand I can’t remember on which side my double bonds are facing. Sincerely, “it, that, they, them, ……. It must get even more complicated in German!
“Ethical beliefs are different for every person. What one considers to be ethical may not be ethical to someone else. However, there are beliefs that are divisive and there are beliefs that inspire inclusivity, diversity and equity.”
This sums up the entitlement generation perfectly. Translate as – Everyone is entitled to their opinion – as long I consider them valid!
Who is on the picture? He/him or the composer? You never have captions. . .
Can we please cancel that grossly offensive song by Irving Berlin: “Putin on the Ritz” or get the publisher to rename it “Putin in the ditch”??
Or in the case of the head of That Choir, “Puttin’ on the B*tch”
Oh good grief. Why create trouble where none exists? I have Mormon friends and gay friends (I am neither) and we all get together every Tuesday for a dance class. We all get along fine.
How could Churches, and Bach, not be cancelled in our time?
MATTHEW 19: “Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?”
In Europe, Christians are arrested anti-discriminatory action? That includes conservative homosexuals – not that the liberal activists care.
Interesting that these guys (or cis-guys) who yap on about ‘compassion, empathy and forgiveness’ never appear to show these qualities themselves when dealing with others who don’t share their opinions or worldviews. Am I the only one to notice the blatant hypocrisy and self-righteousness?
You are not.
It’s called a job and a paycheck. Simple as that…
from http://www.thatchoir.com/about.html
“Craig began his relationship with choral music while singing with the choirs of Holy Heart of Mary High School in St. John’s … In 1996, Craig joined the folk choir at St. Theresa’s Church in St. John’s … he moved to Halifax where he assumed the position of music director at Canadian Martyrs Church …”
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph… what a hypocrite
Honestly, as a gay man I see no difference between this situation and the cancellation of Gergiev. Both Whitacre and Gergiev have aligned themselves with the Oppressor.
A doubt you’ve ever been persecuted by a Mormon. The ones I’ve met are nice people. Live the way you want and let the mormons believe what they want. One of the biggest problems today is the “cancelling” of others who don’t share your beliefs. That act is very aggressive and divisive regardless of how it is communicated.
As Norm Macdonald once said, “use of the terms ‘cismale’ and ‘cisfemale’ is just another way to marginalize an otherwise normal person”
We’re all for diversity, unless it’s diversity of thought. We must all be in lockstep celebrating our differences. But seriously, anyone who describes himself (herself? zerself? themself?) as “cis,” references his whiteness, and uses the word “privilege” all in the same sentence has drunk the progressive Kool-Aid and can’t be taken seriously.
I would have thought that Ho/Hum would have been more appropriate than He/Him
Disregarding everything else for the moment, this statement is inconsistent: “What one considers to be ethical may not be ethical to someone else. However, there are beliefs that are divisive and there are beliefs that inspire inclusivity, diversity and equity.”
Either one is a relativist or an universalist, but not both.
I guess the relativistic doctrine predominant in the USA hinders clear thinking on this subject. One has to utter relativistic phrases to be accepted.
Misleading headline again. This isn’t about the current transgender controversy. It’s about a homophobic christian fundamentalist college committing probably illegal discrimination. It does seem inconsistent of Whitacre to overlook or at least not speak to that.
When you sign off a letter with pronouns, you’ve already lost.
This does not seem to reflect true diversity or inclusion
Wow. First world problem.
So, Mr Pike, who complains about being bullied for being gay, is passing on that bullying to Mr Whiticare for his associating with a religious institution? What an oblivious hypocrite. But the left never holds itself to its own standards, so is anyone surprised?
Wtf is cis gender
No more canceling, or cancel yourself first.
To confront the greatness of the Ineffable, the creator of heaven and earth, with purely human reproductive criteria (male-female) instead of what is the absolute core value of life according to Torah and according to the New Testament, namely Love?
That’s grotesque, absurd, if not worse.
Young Mr. Craig Pike is an amazingly talented individual. Clearly, the majority of those commenting, here, are not familiar with his work. There is potential greatness.
However, it IS sad to see him playing-up to the worst of what’s being generated, today. Oh, what we’ve come to tolerate in the name of “culture”!
Someday, when the whole woke-thing has passed, and it is too late for him, Mr. Pike will’ve come to realize what true greatness he traded for fad, and the fleeting acceptance that went with it.
By the way, some of you are very funny.
Pike, you realize you’re the one that’s intolerant, right?
Disgusting power hungry cry bully. “That Choir” should be ashamed of attacking this man as a PR stunt. I hope you find yourself a soul that isn’t self serving and some talent. Pathetic.