Women conductors - why so few?

Contemporary Review, August, 1999 by Anna Hodgson

Few people seriously believe women 'look funny' when conducting but appearance is a problem for a different reason. Women in the limelight are expected to possess glamour as well as ability. Sexiness is a selling point but too much and their seriousness of purpose and even ability will come into question. So women conductors have the choice of looking like fairies on a Christmas Tree in 'glamorous' evening gowns or donning clothes that make them look like men.

When women conductors wear jackets and trousers, the reason is usually pragmatic. Heels are unstable, cleavages and rising hems distracting and travelling with a wardrobe of dresses is impractical. 'If you had a collection of designer dresses,' says Odaline de la Martinez, 'critics would be more interested in your outfit than your performance. 'Male conductors have no such dilemma. They have to wear the traditional tails. Their glamour lies in extravagant hairstyles, expensive jewelry and five o'clock shadows.

In the music business you don't get anywhere without patronage. Because the music world has historically been dominated by men, women haven't had the same opportunities to work the system. Success often depends on patronage and contacts. Sian Edwards' operatic debut came in 1986 when Simon Rattle dropped out of conducting Scottish Opera's production of Kurt Weill's Mahagonny and recommended her to take his place. Michael Tippett and Bernard Haitink both took her under their wing.

'You have to find a patron who is convinced of your talent to be willing to promote you. But it is almost impossible for women to establish those links and patronage with experienced conductors' says Adrienne Martin, another student at Morley College.

So what can women conductors do? Many form their own chamber orchestras as Odaline de la Martinez with Lontano and the European Women's Chamber Orchestra and Wasfi Kani with Pimlico Opera have done. But this may restrict their musical activities and so further limit their opportunities of working with larger orchestras.

Association with women dominated organizations can sometimes provoke strong reactions, often in quarters least expected. When Odaline was asked by the Cardiff Music Festival to organize a festival celebrating women, which included works by both men and women, she was astonished at the public reaction.

'It was perceived as an anti-male gesture by many women. It seems that a lot of women believe that by being pro-something you are being anti-something else. You can have male organizations, male orchestras but they are never perceived as exclusive,' she says. 'But if you have an organization that celebrates women or likes to include an equal amount of women and men, it is perceived as a separatist organization.

In a recent study carried out by style guru Peter York, the most successful chief female executives in Britain were found to be a cheerful, motherly bunch of women. There was a noticeable lack of bullying types. It seems as a woman you can get to the top without being a tyrant. If this is the case, surely it is time for the image makers to begin to remould the myth. If there is a 'dearth of fresh talent' as Lebrecht claims and 'not enough good conductors to go around,' as Simon Rattle is reported saying, perhaps orchestral boards and music managers should look a little further and at least give women a chance.