ICYMI: Leo Sanchez, “A Latino Classical Musician?”
Concordia Seminary’s own Leo Sanchez recently wrote an essay on his nearly lifelong experience with western classical music, including his current experience as the Principal Double Bass in the St. Louis Civic Orchestra, and how it changed when he immigrated to the United States.
The essay appears in the HTI Open Plaza, an online platform of the Hispanic Theological Initiative:
https://www.htiopenplaza.org/content/a-latino-classical-musician
Rick Strickert January 4, 2020
A January 2, 2020, “Concordia Theology article linked to an essay written by Concordia Seminary Professor Leo Sanchez, “A Latino Classical Musician?.” In his essay Prof. Sanchez wrote:
“’A Latino classical musician?’
“This was how an Anglo acquaintance greeted me during intermission at a concert of the St. Louis Civic Orchestra, where I am Principal Double Bass….
“What he meant by his comment, I did not ask…. “
But then what immediately follows in the essay is a litany of putting-words-in-his-mouth interpretations of his acquaintance’s question ending in attributing this negative motivation to the acquaintance:
“What really was behind his question is the very legitimacy of mixing two different worlds.”
The essay’s slant might have been different if only the acquaintance had simply been asked, “What do you mean?”