My journey of making change starts today.
After organizing my office and beginning the mammoth undertaking of sifting through files, I happened upon some lectures from this past year. It is clear that now is the time to begin my summer resolution of musical blogging of the subject I find captivating - Gender.
Gender in the world of classical music is not an earth-shattering topic, but I find the subject absolutely fascinating and necessary! My goal for this blog is to be an excellent resource for those who may be interested in learning something new about gender, or those who may want to join a conversation concerning some of today’s hot topics in classical music – specifically concerning gender.
For a thought provoking visual exercise, imagine your ideal day as an orchestral musician. Let your imagination run wild.
You show up in the music hall of your dreams in order to play with the symphony you most admire. While finding your seat in your section, you begin having an entertaining conversation with your section mate about the new and improved therapeutic posture chairs. Your seatmate is debating whether the cost to the orchestra budget was worth it as the old chairs were “just fine.”
The stage manager quiets the orchestra to discuss a few symphony business items and is followed by the concertmaster standing to tune the orchestra. This is the 3rd candidate this year for the open concertmaster position. You pause to consider the past two applicants. The oboe plays the 440 A. Woodwinds begins the tuning process followed by the brass and then strings.
As the maestro steps up to the podium, you scan and catalog orchestra performers. There are several new faces. Baton is lifted and you look at the face of the conductor.
Rehearsal order starts with the overture, world premiere, and then concerto. After the break is the programmed masterwork symphony. You think to yourself, “thank goodness I have played it a few times.”
Voila! Three hours later, one more music gig accomplished. Oh! But wait…this is where I come in.
In the image you visualized, which musicians did you picture throughout the sections? Who was/were the concertmaster/s? Maestro? Principal players? Which compositions did your imaginary orchestra perform? What was the make up of your imaginary orchestra?
Did you find it equitable?
It is my goal is to address and acknowledge what is our cultures current norm.
Over the summer months, my plan is to offer some information that will hopefully stretch your thinking and more importantly, give you some listening and/or performing suggestions of outstanding music that you may have never heard. I hope you will enjoy.
I leave you with my article Gender disparity in music: A commitment and a conversation written for the fabulous folks at the Women’s Philharmonic Advocacy (See below)
And, one of my favorite new finds - Ruth Gipps (1921-1999): Symphony No. 2 (1945)
(I will write more on Ruth Gipps soon...)
Thanks for reading!