Our Vision

Presenting stories grounded in truth.

Hearing in Color is a Chicago-based organization dedicated to sharing music, stories, and composers, that have been historically excluded from musical spaces, with its community.  Our productions underscore the work of artists who are overlooked in mediums where White-centered experiences are the default.  Hearing in Color believes in the power of music to build community, to bring comfort, to embolden, and to inspire in the face of subjugation and oppression. Hearing in Color believes that gatekeeping has appropriated perspectives and stories of specific lived experiences. By sharing space with those most deeply affected, we are able to present stories grounded in truth.

LaRob K. Rafael, Artistic Director

Our Story

We began as a response to the lack of representation in classical music. The heart of what we do highlights the importance of sharing platforms with composers and musicians of varying cultures and stories that have been misrepresented in the classical canon. Hearing in Color produces concerts and events led, performed, and programmed by individuals in those same communities. We showcase the musical work of Black, Indigenous, composers of color, who often go unnoticed due to the overrepresentation of white, male, European composers. And we believe that creating space for those historically excluded people creates equity in the arts.

Hearing in Color had already been facing the severe challenges that all new organizations navigate—building partnerships, deepening audience engagement, and growing our donor base—when the pandemic disrupted our plans. And seeing the dramatic changes in the social climate surrounding the pandemic, the mass movements against racial injustices, and national politics, we felt compelled to respond in real-time.

We reimagined our live performances and our community engagement processes, moving to a virtual presentation space. In September 2020, we presented “Good, Necessary Trouble”, a live, virtual concert and conversation dedicated to the importance of protest music as a catalyst for change in direct response to the summer of protests happening across the country. And in January 2021, we presented “Kababayan”, a live-hosted, virtual variety show celebrating Filipino identity through art and music. Both programs have revealed that the community that supports Hearing in Color is not only here to stay but also ready to engage—marketing solely through social media and email, we saw growth in attendance and donations surrounding both events.

We actively engage with new composers and artists seeking to remove the barriers that prevent their work from being appreciated and discovered. Recognizing that another barrier to discovery is the documentation of music, we commit ourselves to recording and archiving our performances, making them accessible to artists, communities, and audiences alike. Hearing in Color engages with community partners to search for ways we can use our resources to tell the most authentic story.