Women on the Podium: It's About Time

We should also include conductor Alondra de la Parra, whose entrepreneurial spirit led her to found her own orchestra in New York City at age 23 , the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas. She was the first Mexican woman to ever conduct in NYC and is quickly establishing herself as one of her generation's leading conductors.

Fred

---and Elizabeth Schulze of the Maryland Symphony, and also the Flagstaff Symphony. She has done marvelous things with the Maryland Symphony indeed.

Other notable women conductors include
Joann Falletta,under whom I have played as a horn player, Xian Zhang,from China, associate conductor of the New York Philharmonic, and
Simone Young,currently music director of the
Hamburg State opera, and Anne Manson, first woman to conduct the Vienna Philharmonic, and who recently led the New York City opera's
production of Barber's Vanessa. The glass ceiling is definitely shattering for women conductors.

Don't forget about Joann Falletta of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra who recently received the Concert Music Award from ASCAP. As a Buffalonian I'm regularly blown away by her concerts and recordings with the BPO. She's also an asset to the community. This week marks the 4th year of the Joann Falletta International Guitar Concerto Competition in Buffalo.

I assure you I would never forget Joann Falletta - I have seen some terrific concerts in Buffalo under her direction.
Henry

Marin Alsop is a great conductor who is doing a wonderful job in Baltimore. But I really must take exception with her being the first. The often overlooked JoAnn Falletta has been conducting the Buffalo Philharmonic wonderfully since 1999, and in my humble opinion should have more recognition then she seems to garner.

In addition to the podium, I would like to add that Nadia Salerno-Sonnenberg is now the music director of the New Century Chamber Orchestra in San Francisco, taking over from Stuart Canin.

In my SF Classical Music Examiner blog, I've covered some of the San Francisco orchestras, with her name coming up as a happy exception to the rule of male.

My article can be found at: http://www.examiner.com/x-373-SF-Classical-Music-Examiner~y2008m5d31-Its-not-dead-or-even-ailing-Part-4

Cheers,
Scott Foglesong

And don't forget about Marin Alsop, who just took over in Baltimore!

Believe me, I wouldn't at all forget about Ms. Alsop, who really is the first to have broken through the "glass ceiling." I just saw a wonderful Gershwin/Ravel concert of hers in Baltimore.
Henry