If you had told my sixth-grade self that one day I’d be writing for Mood Magazine NYC, I probably would have smiled, adjusted my B-flat clarinet, and asked, “What story are we going to tell first?”
My name is Bethany Camille James, and I am a poet, freelance writer, creative storyteller, and lifelong lover of music. While I appreciate many genres, classical music has profoundly shaped my life and creative voice.
Before writing became my primary form of expression, music taught me how to listen.
I grew up in a family where faith and music were inseparable. My father, a Brooklyn native, is a preacher, musician, and retired truck driver and engineer who plays both the piano and organ. He often shared the story of legendary clarinetist Benny Goodman, reminding me that the clarinet has a voice of its own. Before long, it became my voice as well.
From sixth grade through my time performing with the University of Kansas Orchestra, the clarinet taught me discipline, collaboration, and the beauty of creating something greater than myself. Those lessons continue to shape the way I approach writing today.
Although classical music will always feel like home, my appreciation extends far beyond a single genre. Whether it’s opera, jazz, gospel, spoken word, orchestral music, or contemporary artists pushing creative boundaries, I believe every style of music carries a story worth telling.
That belief is what drew me to Mood Magazine NYC and Harlem Collective Opera. Their mission—to make opera, classical music, and Black culture more tangible and accessible to everyone—deeply resonates with me. The arts should never feel exclusive. Sometimes all it takes is one story, one performance, or one conversation to spark a lifelong passion.
Music Was Already Waiting for Me
Before I ever picked up a clarinet, I inherited a story.
My father grew up in Brooklyn, New York, the son of two pastors. Music wasn’t simply something our family enjoyed—it was woven into our faith, our worship, and our identity. My grandparents later helped establish Christ Temple, a Pentecostal church in Clearwater, Florida, where music remained central to ministry and community life.
Of all the stories my father shared, the story of Benny Goodman stayed with me the longest. Not because he was famous, but because it helped me understand that an instrument could become someone’s voice. When I began playing the B-flat clarinet in sixth grade, I didn’t realize I was carrying generations of family history every time I lifted it to play.
That journey eventually led me to perform with the University of Kansas Orchestra, but it truly began years earlier—with my father’s stories, Sunday worship, and the belief that music can speak when words cannot.
As I grew older, I came to appreciate another part of Benny Goodman’s legacy. During a deeply divided era, his willingness to perform alongside Black musicians challenged the racial barriers of his time and demonstrated something music has always known: excellence knows no racial boundaries. The stage became a place where collaboration quietly resisted division.
That lesson feels especially meaningful as I begin writing for Mood Magazine NYC.
Harlem has long been one of the world’s great cultural capitals—a place where Black artistry, music, literature, and history continue to inspire generations. My family’s journey traveled from Brooklyn to Florida and eventually brought me to Colorado, but its heartbeat has remained the same: music possesses an extraordinary ability to unite people across backgrounds and experiences.
As a writer, I’m excited to tell the stories behind the music. I hope to highlight artists, musicians, poets, educators, and community leaders whose work reminds us that creativity belongs to everyone. I’m especially interested in exploring the intersections of classical music, Black history, faith, culture, and the ways storytelling connects us across generations.
In the months ahead, readers can expect thoughtful essays, creative commentary, spoken-word reflections, poetry, artist profiles, and conversations that encourage curiosity, reflection, and connection. My hope is to create writing that feels welcoming—whether you’re attending your first opera, rediscovering classical music, or simply looking for a new perspective.
At its best, music is more than something we hear.
It is something we inherit.
Something we share.
And something we pass on.
I’m honored to begin that journey with you.
My father gave me my first appreciation for the clarinet. Harlem reminds me that every instrument carries a history, every musician carries a story, and every generation has an opportunity to make that story heard.
Bethany Camille James– Editorial Contributor, bjames@moodmagazinenyc.org
Connect with Bethany:
https://linktr.ee/TheBigGamePoetryCollection
