Photo: Courtesy of Dr. Brittany Trotter
Dr. Brittany Trotter
For Black musicians in Pittsburgh, there are often hoops to jump through to get the recognition, funding, and support that comes more easily to their white counterparts. On top of the already fraught world of underfunded arts programs, Black artists say they have to deal with bias and being pigeonholed as one kind of performer.
“Because you’re Black, people think you only do jazz or you only do gospel, which is not the case. There are a plethora of amazing classical Black musicians out there,” says Dr. Brittany Trotter, a renowned flutist who lives in Pittsburgh.