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Despite public discourse and trends toward gender equality in the United States, women choral conductors have continued to be considered second-class citizens in hiring practices, pay, and treatment by their peers. The College Music Society indicates that the percentage of collegiate women choral conductors has decreased from 32.95% to 25.90% from 2006 to 2020.l Similar data from Chorus America and the National Collegiate Choral Organization show comparable decreases in the share of women choral conductors at the academic, professional, and community choir levels. In the orchestral world, however, things are looking up for women in leadership. In 2013, Marin Alsop was the only woman to hold one of the world's top 100 orchestral conducting positions.2 As of 2023, there are now eight women filling these positions.3
A 2018 research study from the Berklee Institute for Creative Entrepreneurship documented three concerning statistics regarding women in the arts: 1) nearly half of female participants believed that they should be further in their career; 2) a majority of women have experienced gender bias in their career pursuits; and 3) 57% cite compensation practices having a negative effect on their careers and the workplace environment.4 These findings from the broader artistic community align with specific trends in the choral conducting profession.
Every sector in the United States labor market has a gender disparity problem. Women comprise 48% of the entry-level workforce, but this percentage decreases as one climbs the executive ladder; only 21 % of executive-level management positions are held by women.'1 Pay remains unequal at all levels, with women earning only 82% of what their male counterparts earn.6
In this article, I will share interviews with twelve leading women choral and orchestral conductors from across the United States, statistics from government and nonprofit studies, literature reviews, and articles, all of which share a concerning continued disparity in both the academic and professional spheres. Almost every woman interviewed experienced discrimination or felt pigeonholed into lesser-paying careers with little room for professional advancement. Most participants recounted at least one instance in which they were told they would not be as successful as their male colleagues.
A note about definitions: The interviews reference cis-gender individuals who identity with their birth-assigned sex. The studies cited in this article rarely mention the gender...