Women's Work

Notes on the Program

by Michael Barrett

The Following is an imaginary interview I didn’t give to a free-lance journalist friend (FLJ) for a leading women’s magazine.

FLJ:         Women’s Work. Isn’t an entire concert of music by only woman a sexist approach?

MB:         Yes, I guess it is. But so are concerts with all male composers, which is the usual musical fare.

FLJ:         Yes, but isn’t a program of women’s songs creating a ghetto for women composers? I mean, aren’t they good enough to be on a program with men?

MB:         Sure they are, but here at NYFOS we tend to explore one area of song at a time, and I though it was time to concentrate on women songwriters. I did some research, and though I now many living women composers, I dind’t get past their musical forbears – there are just too many terrific songs. So, I’m getting an education. I hope that doesn’t create a ghetto. This concert does have the honor of being our season opener.

FLJ:         (non-plussed) Hoo-ray. If there are so many great works by women, why don’t we hear them? Is there some kind of “glass ceiling” in the male dominated music business?

MB:         There does seem to be a glass ceiling in programming and maybe in music publishing, but I woud hardly call the music scene male dominated.

FLJ:         Okay, name on top conductor who is female.

MB:         You got me there, but look at the people who hire them.

FLJ:         Such as…

MB:         Well, here in New York City Judith Aaron is the president of Carnegie Hall, Jane Moss is in charge of concert life at Lincoln enter, Debra Borda run the New York Philharmonic, Lee Lamont in the president of ICM, Judy Janowsky handles conductors at Columbia Artists…

For the complete text of these program notes, please e-mail us at:  info@nyfos.org.