Global Jazzwomen Hang: August 1, 2024 Reflections

It was an honor to be invited by Anna Sbongile Buda to share my musical journey on Global Jazzwomen Hang on August 1, 2024. It was exciting to meet two soul sisters from diverse cultural backgrounds and learn about their musical journeys through their sharing. 

I am a Hong Kong-born composer and music educator who resides in Ohio. Camila Cortina Bello is a Cuban-born pianist, educator, and composer who resides in New Jersey. Klaudia Baca is a Polish-born double bass player who is a Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana professor and a solo double bass player at Czestochowa Philharmony. Despite our diverse cultural backgrounds, we share something in common other than our gender:

1. We started with Classical musical training, then ventured into jazz.

2. We followed our passion and created our paths.

3. We have struggled and have overcome many challenges to get to where we are today.

4. Our musical journeys took us to various parts of the world, which gave us a valuable cross-cultural experience. 

5. We are music creators and educators who nurture future generations of musicians.

We learned a musical instrument early, and music theory and history came later. We started to compose and improvise on our instruments. Then, we explored musical styles outside Western classical music. Jazz was the perfect medium for us to express ourselves freely. 

The piano was the “default” instrument for young music learners. I had been taking piano lessons since I was little but was uninterested in performing. I was more interested in composing instead. So, I decided to be a composer in college. Camila, the pianist, majored in musicology in a different part of the world. Klaudio, on the other hand, fell in love with the double bass from the beginning. She has been playing the double bass ever since.

Having a musical career is not easy to begin with. Choosing a unique path representing an artist’s identity is even more challenging. I have been trying to incorporate contemporary Western and Chinese music to create my musical language for many years. I have always liked jazz, but I did not have a chance to study jazz at a university until a few years ago after I quit my full-time college teaching job. I finally learned jazz composition and explored Chinese jazz fusion. Camila went to SE Asia to play salsa for eight years before going to Berklee to further study jazz and establish herself as a jazz pianist and composer. Klaudia successfully challenges the gender stereotype of the double bass being a male-dominated instrument and proves that girls can play the double bass and play well.

My musical journey brought me from Hong Kong to America. Camila’s musical journey brought her from Cuba to Singapore and then to America. Klaudia’s musical journey brought her from Poland to various parts of Europe. Our journeys were long and bumpy at times. We must be bilingual or trilingual, and we must be able to adapt well to new cultural environments. English and music are common languages, and we communicate and learn from each other. On another level, cultural assimilation of music can only be possible through cross-cultural experience.

Sharing our expertise and experience with younger generations is a meaningful part of our career. Camila points out the importance of female role models for female students. When we grew up, all the famous musicians were men. Where were the women musicians? There were outstanding women musicians, but they were silenced in music history. Who was Alberta Simmons? (Piano teacher of Thelonius Monk.) Who was Gretchen Magee? (Composition teacher of Bill Evans.) Nadia Boulanger, the renowned female composition teacher of the 20th century (who had taught Gretchen Magee), was the only exception. 

In the 21st century, let us pay tribute to all the forgotten female musicians who have contributed to the musical culture by nurturing the famous musicians we know. Let us continue to support each other in our artistic growth. Let us be positive role models for younger generations of musicians, encouraging them to follow their dreams, helping them during their struggles, and celebrating their success. Let us break all the cultural barriers and prejudice. Every human has an equal right to receive education and pursue their dreams. With dedication and perseverance, dreams will come true. Compassion and respect for one another will make the world a better place to live.