Women conductors on the orchestral podium: Pedagogical and professional implications

Abstract

Recent discussions about women's experiences in the orchestral profession have revealed the gendered politics behind many of the generally accepted norms and customs in the orchestral tradition. With the bourgeoning of feminist musicology, these voices have intensified and resulted in a greater representation of women's stories and experiences in orchestral music-making. Notwithstanding these efforts, however, surprisingly little attention has been given to women conductors, a small minority in the orchestral profession's most prominent discipline. In the mid-late 1990s a handful of articles published on women conductors appeared in the College Music Symposium; however, more recently, a curious silence and lack of discussion have accompanied the growing number of women in this field.