It has long been questioned by historians and enthusiasts if Nina Simone--when she was a budding classical pianist--was rejected from the Curtis Institute on grounds of race. However, the institute has rejected this claim, saying white contenders were also denied admission.
The story has even been relayed in the new Netflix documentary, What Happened, Miss Simone? by Liz Garbus. As per the documentary, institutional racism in the 1950s was a large problem in the U.S. Having gone unchecked for decades, the Old World, elite institution very well could have a been a "whites only" conservatory.
With more films about the late singer on the way, the plausibility of the claim, thus, is likely to be questioned further.
Though many want to believe that Curtis rejected Simone over the color of her skin, Philly has a more likely explanation:
"Certainly, racism exists as a spectrum - overt, cloaked, unconscious, internalized - and no one can know what motivated the Curtis piano faculty to listen to what must have been an extremely compelling audition on April 7, 1951, and then turn away one of the 20th century's major musical figures.
But the truth is more likely something far more common and less interesting: She wasn't good enough. On piano, that day, at that point in her development, she simply did not make the cut."
As of late, Peter Dobrin has been inspecting the claim. His evidence points in the direction of her piano playing, which likely really wasn't up to snuff. According to Rebel Mouse, there were a total of 72 applicants for the piano department, with only three having received acceptance.
Now that just sounds like she didn't make the cut.
Regardless, Miss Simone is jazz legend and while she may have been undercut as a pianist, it delivered us a most memorable voice.
Here is that voice below.
