New York Philharmonic: Mostly women - Slippedisc (2024)

Helpsalot says:

In Chinese orchestras there women in the percussion sections, including a fine timpanist. The orchestras are excellent and play European traditional and contemporary classical music as well as original Chinese compositions.

zandonai says:

Chicago Symphony’s percussionist is a petite Chinese woman.
Check out her in action: https://youtu.be/fyNnXxr2PBY?si=HggCrhq9fPy3_RK6

William Ward says:

Recently heard the Nielsen Fifth, and the snare drummer was a woman. She knocked it out of the park!

GuestX says:

Thanks. I heard it when the Frankfurt Radio Symphony (with Orozco Estrada) still had it on their YouTube channel. It was magnificent, challenging for performers and audience, certainly not ugly.

David K. Nelson says:

That work is of legendary difficulty for all concerned — written for (but not delivered until after) the NY Phil’s first season in Lincoln Center. Ruggiero Ricci was the soloist at the premiere conducted by Bernstein and for a long time about the only way to hear it was with him playing, on a rare and hard to find CD from Hong Kong’s One-Eleven label, in sound that was more than OK but did not do full justice to the percussion-rich scoring. I’m impressed that Hillary Hahn has sought it out and learned it. Just maybe it’s time has come?

william osborne says:

The NYP is about 50% women. Orchestras like the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonics lag far behind and yet they serve as national symbols of their countries. Something to think about?

Tiredofitall says:

It makes absolutely no difference, but there is only one male among the 29 violinists in the NYPhil.

Talent and ability will out.

GmoneymcflY2K says:

Did you actually read the full sentence?

“Apart from the conductor, Dudamel, there are no males in sight.“

Shksprth says:

What kind of shoe polish do you recommend for naturally-aging hair

Gabriel Parra Blessing says:

How is that at all relevant? She’s a phenomenal talent and that’s all that matters.

Andrew Clarke says:

That’s what happens when you play the Ginastera.

John Borstlap says:

It’s the result of practicing the Ginastera piece.

Jen Baker says:

“let” her hair go gray? when in fact, hair does tend to be one gray, and interestingly enough it happens to any gender! Think about what you are saying. Did you think the same of Dudamel’s grays, I wonder?

Sam says:

Yes, it really shows in that photo. I guess playing Ginastera will do that to you.

MAS says:

Has Dudamel let his hair go gray?

Do you see how ridiculous that question sounds when you direct it at a man? They’re both humans. That’s what happens to humans as they age.

John W. Norvis says:

Become?

Gabriel Parra Blessing says:

No. That’d be Columbia University.

Sue Sonata Form says:

Yes but, more importantly, where are their coloured frocks?

Tiredofitall says:

You must direct your comments to DEI officers everywhere.

Hayne says:

Meritocracy? That’s so passe. What a dinosaur you are!

Gabriel Parra Blessing says:

So you’d be interested if they *did* play in the nude? Hmm…

Nivis says:

And for the avoidance of doubt, orchestras, conductors, and soloists shout NOT play in the nude.

Choirs also.

John Borstlap says:

It exists:

https://twitter.com/i/events/1343575717175582721?lang=bn

https://slippedisc.com/2011/06/meet-the-naked-orchestra-and-vote-for-the-next/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wl4OBdAJ7DQ

professional musician says:

LOL…..

John Borstlap says:

It’s not modern academia, but people who parade as professional musician but have no talent whatsoever. And they have been around always, as history clearly shows. They bluff themselves through music life, but they inevitably disappear in their own black hole. There are enough quality musicians around to keep the art form alive…. it only takes longer than the Jerry Springer Show.

John Borstlap says:

But in that video she says many very sensible things, like music being an emotional record of history, in terms of experience. So, awful times produce awful music. This leaves the question open why so much music from premodern times is so beautiful and meaningful, in spite of terrible wars, famines, plagues, death raging in daily life, political turmoil etc. etc.

Was experience in former times better or worse? Or were composers ‘en masse’ entirely hypocritical, creating a façade of respectability in stark contrast with reality? Or were they merely focussed on some higher awareness of meaning? I believe: the latter.

professional musician says:

Male players drugging and raping female colleagues take care of that themselves.

professional musician says:

They indeed sound much better now. Less coarse, better balanced.