
Five women shaking up the classical world
“I’ve been a woman for a little over 50 years and have gotten over my initial astonishment. As for conducting an orchestra, that’s a job where I don’t think sex plays much part.”
Nadia Boulanger
The role of conductor in an orchestra is synonymous with leadership. Their mission is to guide the musicians towards musical perfection with the wave of a baton. In our collective imaginations, this requires a certain level of charisma, authority, strategic vision, technical competence, and hard work. Yet, for too long we’ve only associated these traits exclusively with men. The world of classical music is full of renowned male conductors. But what about the women of the classical world? Although the number of female conductors is improving, they still only make up 3-5%. Today, we hope to highlight some of the female conductors who have made an outstanding contribution to the classical world and you can see in action today!