“I wasn’t surprised by the rejection. It was during the Civil Rights Movement and racism was everywhere,” she says. “It made me more determined than ever to be as good as the harp as I could be.”
Upon her high school graduation, Hobson-Pilot’s music teacher met with her parents to inform them she felt the young prodigy had enough talent to play music professionally. The only problem was persuading her parents if it was the right choice for a young Black girl from Philadelphia, P.A.,
“The teacher told my parents I had what it takes, but they were hesitant because there were no role models,” Hobson Pilot says. “I started out as a music education major and switched to music.”
Her decision to focus on music was influenced by Alice Chalifoux, who encouraged the young Hobson-Pilot to nurture her talent. The mentor and professor set up a scholarship for Hobson-Pilot to attend the Cleveland Institute of Music and study with Chalifoux. The act of benevolence is something Hobson-Pilot will never forget.
“The full scholarship was arranged and included room, board and books. Otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to attend,” Hobson-Pilot explains. “That is the kind of support we need for young people.”
Hobson-Pilot was honored by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Talent Development Program, a program dedicated to assisting underprivileged youth in the pursuit of a classical music education. The now educator received the Lifetime Achievement Award, an honor for those who display excellence in musicianship. The award comes after a career of being one of the few African-Americans to play with a major orchestra in the U.S, Hobson-Pilot says she was unaware of the impact of her career until it was over.
“I was told by a lot of whites that it affected them. They would always say it was different seeing a Black person playing the classical harp and it made them think differently about Blacks,” Hobson-Pilot recalls. “I don’t think I thought about it much back then. I didn’t realize it until I was ready to leave. When you’re making music you don’t think about your own accomplishments. ”
As a professional musician, Hobson-Pilot’s career began as second harpist with the Pittsburgh Symphony. She joined the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1969 as assistant principal harpist and principal harpists of the Boston Pops. She was named principal harpists at BSO in 1980. For 40 years she was the principal harpists playing at BSO. When she began her career with the prestigious orchestra she was the only African-American playing for the renowned organization.
“Though I must admit, I was disappointed in my 40 years with BSO when you looked out at the audience there were very few people of color,” she says. “There’s still work to do. After 20 years playing, another Black person was there, but I left being the only Black member of the BSO.”
Despite being disappointed with the lack of color in the BSO Hobson says her time with the orchestra and Boston Pops afforded her a life she could have only imagined. The extensive travel and opportunities to play with greats like Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Sammy Davis Jr. are experiences she feels younger musicians may never be able to live out due to tight budgets and a dwindling audience.
“I was able to be on stage with a wealth of talented people. Like Leonard Bernstein and other famous conductors,” Hobson-Pilot explains. “I have been to Japan, Europe several times and South America The travel was definitely a great part and playing overwhelming concerts. I played at the foot of the Eiffel Tower and concerts in Austria. I still feel like the time I was in the BSO was the golden age of Orchestral performing.”