“The Victoria Symphony orchestra landed its first Canadian female conductor when it hired Tania Miller 13 years ago and began to shake up our expectations of who can wield a baton in this country,” writes Trish Crawford in Sunday’s (3/27) Toronto Star (Canada). “Celebrating its 75th anniversary, the Victoria Symphony is engaging in its first Canadian tour, which includes stops in Ottawa, Quebec City and Duncan, B.C., as well as Vancouver…. Miller is leaving at the end of the 2016-17 season, her 14th year…. Roles for conductors have loosened greatly during this time, says Miller, admitting she probably contributed to some of the changes in attitude by continuing to work at the podium through two pregnancies…. ‘Now there’s no set expectation of how we look, dress, act,’ … says Miller…. Jeanne Lamon, for example, ‘leads from within’ as she plays the violin along with the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra [where she was] artistic director from 1981 to 2014.” …. Miller is one of four women conducting in the TSO’s current season,” along with pianist Angela Hewitt, Dina Gilbert, and soprano Barbara Hannigan.” Says Miller, “I love when I see young girls in the audience, eyes shining with expectations.”
Posted March 28, 2016
