Research into classical music last year shows significant progress for female composers and conductors, according to Bachtrack. The classical music website revealed six of the top 50 maestros were women in 2019, compared to just one ranking among top 100 in 2013. The report also revealed thirteen of the world’s top 50 contemporary composers were women, compared to seven in 2013.
Two of the top 50 in both categories were featured in our most recent Seasons. JoAnn Falletta conducted your RPO this past November for two nights of haunting and mesmerizing music. Jennifer Higdon’s Harp Concerto, who wrote and dedicated her Harp Concerto to Yolanda Kondonassis, was performed during our 2018-19 Season. The live recording, American Rapture, has sine earned us two Grammy nominations!
There were 34,648 performances held in 2019, according to Bachtrack. The top ten concert pieces included selections also performed during our 2019-20 Season: Berlioz’ Symphonie fantastique (with JoAnn Falletta, Nov. 21 & 23), Handel’s Messiah (Dec. 12), Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, and Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto.
American concerts were ranked second in featuring pieces by living composers. Five of the top ten – John Williams, Arvo Pärt, John Adams, Thomas Adès, and Steve Reich – are included in our 2019-20 Season.
