Female Conductors in a Male Dominated Industry

    This week's topic, female conductors, was an issue that I would have never imagined to exist or know about. It is just another small example of the bigger picture in women's careers. Orchestral conducting is one of the most male-dominant industries, so dominant that there have roughly only been 10 female conductors in major orchestras ever. This is due to the tradition the orchestra was built on along with other commonly seen gender stereotypes. Being a conductor demands presence and authority, two traits commonly attributed specifically to men. Despite these being key skills in conducting, there is no real difference between when a male or female conducts an orchestra, it all comes down to stereotyping. Similarly to conductors, the musicians themselves used to be dominantly men. That is until the 1950s and 60s when blind auditions were introduced to remove any biases. Unfortunately, there is no valid way to perform a blind audition for conductors, making it much more challenging to remove biases. Not only is finding a job conducting more difficult and a woman, but being educated is also a challenge. At one point, women were not allowed to study some musical roles such as conducting and were limited to instruments like the piano. Now, women can choose what they want to study, but many professors are more willing to educate a male looking to become a conductor. To even the playing field, organizations such as the Hart Institute, offer women-only conductor courses that are only a few weeks long. Through these programs, women have to opportunity to network within the community while building their resume. I think if women are able to use programs like these to find more early career opportunities, they will be able to prove themselves in the eyes of the orchestral world. This will be the beginning of the walls for women to be broken down.