UK music exam board ABRSM is being urged to diversify its syllabuses after research found 99% of pieces were by white composers.
More than 4000 people have signed an online petition after a new piano syllabus published this week featured no Black composers.
The petition asks: "why are we limiting diversity in a subject that clearly has a rich and varied history, and contributing to the erasure of people of colour from Western history?"
The exam board issued this statement in response:
“ABRSM is absolutely committed to addressing under-representation of black composers on its syllabuses. We are taking proactive steps to ensure our syllabuses are more representative in future and are working with partners to develop a mentoring scheme for composers of Black, Asian and diverse ethnic descent as part of this commitment and will be held to account for all our actions on this issue.”