PAUL J. ROSS. Photo by Ben Spiegel.
14-Year-Old Fellowship Program Now Honors Paul J. Ross, the First African American Musician to Receive a Full-Time Contract with the Pittsburgh Symphony
Substantial New Funding Will Secure Expansion of Number of Fellows
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 2, 2021
PITTSBURGH—A new commitment to the future of diversity in orchestras was announced by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra today, as its 14-year-old fellowship program for pre-professional musicians identifying as Black or African American will now be called the Paul J. Ross Fellowship, with transformative new funding secured for the program’s expansion and with substantive changes in the fellowship experience.
“It is with great joy that we announce the Paul J. Ross Fellowship in honor of the late Paul J. Ross, the violinist who, in 1965, was the first African American musician to receive a full-time contract from the Pittsburgh Symphony. It is deeply fitting to honor Paul, whose legacy is notable for nurturing, mentoring, and supporting young musicians, and his devotion to sharing his joy of music,” said Melia Tourangeau, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.
The Paul J. Ross Fellowship Program is a two-year pre-professional program designed to enable young musicians identifying as Black or African American to dedicate themselves to the pursuit of an orchestral career. Fellows work closely alongside members of the Pittsburgh Symphony to train and prepare for professional auditions and opportunities, with substantial financial and professional development support, and robust mentorship in a welcoming and inclusive environment.
Formerly known as OTPAAM (Orchestra Training Program for African American Musicians), the fellowship program was begun in the 2007-2008 season to promote diversity in orchestra settings to better reflect the diverse communities and audiences the orchestra serves. Shantanique Moore, flute, who was named the eighth OTPAAM Fellow for the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 seasons, has accepted an extension through the 2021-2022 season and is the first Paul J. Ross Fellow.
“Over the past 18 months, the Pittsburgh Symphony has undergone an extensive organization-wide exploration and new commitment to diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion. The Paul J. Ross Fellowship program is an important step in this commitment by directly influencing the orchestra pipeline and demonstrating through action that we are living our core values,” said Tourangeau. “We are grateful for continued funding from EQT Foundation, and for a tremendous new investment from the Arts, Equity, & Education Fund, and Hans and Leslie Fleischner, that will make possible the expansion from one Fellow to four new Fellows in each season by 2025.”
Arts, Equity, & Education Fund (AE&E Fund) is a private family foundation based in Pittsburgh that, among its goals, seeks to amplify systemic change, recognizing that change often starts with individuals on a smaller scale. Together with Hans and Leslie Fleischner, they have committed substantial new funding to the Paul J. Ross Fellowship Program and jointly pledged an additional $150,000 if matched by new and increased gifts for this program over the next four years. If successfully matched, the financial need for the program will be almost fully met for all four years.
For the full press release please visit the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra website HERE.