Resonate

This week Ewa Strusinska became the first woman appointed to an assistant conducting position in the U.K. She was named assistant conductor of the Halle Orchestra, the oldest orchestra in Britain, which is based in Manchester.

Perhaps more impressively, Polish-born Strusinska is only 30 years old. So while the media is focusing on her gender, maybe they should instead be focusing on how much she has accomplished at such a young age.

An article about Strusinska’s appointment in The Independent included this telling paragraph:

Among other world-recognised female conductors are Marin Alsop, of Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, who is also beginning to conduct at Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and JoAnn Falletta, at the Buffalo Philharmonic.

Let’s ignore the factual error that Alsop “is also beginning to conduct…”  I find it interesting that even though many still feel Europe is the world’s center for classical music, the United States is primarily where the status quo is being challenged and overcome.