Musicians ask Boston orchestra to diversify its programming

BOSTON – More than 60 musicians are calling for the Boston Symphony Orchestra to include more female composers and composers of colour in its programming.

The Boston Globe reports the Boston-area musicians met with orchestra leadership Monday to discuss changes after sending a letter in October criticizing the lack of diversity.

In their letter, the musicians noted only one of the 73 pieces scheduled for the 2017-18 season was composed by a woman. The rest are from white male composers.

The group is asking the orchestra to add five more works by women and minorities to the current season and have at least 20 per cent of the works in the next season come from those two groups.

A spokeswoman for the orchestra says the meeting was productive but released no details.