Composer Gender Equality

"Equality comes from people sacrificing their privilege..." Clementine Ford

Claire Edwardes by Jordan Adams
  • event type:Classical:NEXT 19 Conference
  • date:17 May 2019
  • time:11:00 - 12:00
  • city/area:Rotterdam
  • venue:Conference Room 3 (Van Rijckevorsel Zaal), de Doelen
  • country:Netherlands
  • event posted by:Piranha Arts

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Session 11

Chaired by Claire Edwardes (Australia), artistic director, Ensemble Offspring

with Paola Prestini (US), co-founder & artistic director, National Sawdust

Rosanna Gunnarsson (Sweden), composer, Konstmusiksystrar (Sisters in Art Music)

Several years ago, it became clear that something drastic needed to happen to tip the scales towards a fairer representation of female composers in new music programming worldwide. In 2017, Ensemble Offspring was able to realize a long-time goal of celebrating the work of female composers by programming a season of exclusively female composers. This was not advertised overtly. They just did it. And the rewards from taking a strong stance have been huge. Ours was a first step in a much overdue heightened consciousness around the programming of female composers. Should women composers demand equal representation? Absolutely. Can more be done? Yes. This session discusses the ways in which the intrinsic imbalance can be redressed through the facilitation of commission schemes for female composers and also through all music organization having 50:50 targets.