Robert Clements <[log in to unmask]> writes:

>While generally being considered one of the difficult SOBs when it comes
>to issues of justice, i really find it difficult to see what the big deal
>is about a group of women with a similar interests getting together to
>play interesting music (mostly, as one correspondent previously pointed
>out) written by women...  criticising them strikes me as nonsensical as
>criticising Bruggen for only allowing HIP-inclined players into his HIP
>orchestra.  I could sort of understand the argument in the WP was a
>fulltime residential band with retirement plans, prospects for promotion
>etc; but this is a completely different kettle of quarternotes: apart from
>the pleasure of performance & a bit of (relative) spare change, about the
>only thing an orchestra member is likely to get from a concert is an
>interesting credit in her resume...  does the average male orchestral
>musician really need to fight for the right to get the same credit?

The Bruggen analogy is not relevant because HIPness in not genetically
based, whereas gender is.  A better criterion would be to hire musicians of
either gender who believe that music by meritorious female composers of the
past, who may not have gotten a fair shake in their day, ought to be heard.
This is a matter of philosophy, then, not gender.

I went to their website out of curiosity.  They have 5-6 performances per
year.  You are right, this is not a lot.  But is it any more correct for
them to have sexist hiring practices for a half-dozen concerts than it
would be for 60? I say No. The principal is the same.  Also at this site
was a notice that female composers may submit their scores to them for
performance consideration.  Males need not apply.  Imagine the uproar if
an orchestra in the USA had similar hiring practices favoring males, or
accepted scores only from male composers.

--Leigh