In Friday’s (2/28) News-Press (Fort Myers, Florida) Charles Runnells writes, “Take a look at the conductors vying to be Southwest Florida Symphony’s new music director, and one thing becomes apparent: They’re all men.… Everywhere you look, it’s a man’s world behind the concert podium. But now more women are starting to pick up the baton and gain national and international recognition.… That’s encouraging news, said Jesse Rosen, president and CEO of The League of American Orchestras. Women still represent a small percentage of conductors for the League’s 800 member orchestras, but that’s starting to change.… About 17 percent of U.S. music directors—the people who program the music, lead most concerts and serve as the public faces of their orchestras—are women. And that’s up from 12 percent in 2007.… Southwest Florida Symphony is bringing in potential replacements for ousted music director Michael Hall. Three candidates have already conducted try-out concerts with the orchestra. The fourth—Andreas Delfs—steps behind the podium Saturday.… Southwest Florida Symphony chose its candidates from a pool of 115 applicants; five of those were women, said symphony spokeswoman Amy Padilla. Symphony leaders wanted candidates with direct experience leading a professional orchestra, however, and all five women had worked as assistant or associate directors.”
Posted March 3, 2014
