Susan Juhl <[log in to unmask]> writes:

>Gerardo asked:
>
>>Do you also perform only Female music?
>
>The Women's Phil is the only professional orchestra dedicated to the
>promotion of women composers, conductors and performers.  Since 1981,
>it has presented works by more than 150 women composers, including 129
>premieres and 35 commissioned works.
>
>On Dec.  10, 1998, the WP presented a concert tribute to Eleanor
>Roosevelt.  works by Aaron Copland and Alan Hovhaness were on the program,
>and Paul Tobias played the cello.  So there have been exceptions.

Yes, and the VPO finally broke down and hired a female harpist, but
it remains, overall, a quite sexist and racist organization.  While I
can understand an orchestra concentrating on works by neglected female
composers of the past, it strikes me that, if this same orchestra will
not hire male musicians, and limits any new works it commissions to female
composers, it is at least as sexist as the VPO.  Moreover, since race-based
and sex-based hiring practices are illegal in California, it would seem
that the Women's Philharmonic is in violation of the law.

--Leigh