Classical music needs to address lack of female composers, Radio 3 presenter claims
Sara Mohr-Pietsch was speaking ahead of International Women’s Day on Sunday
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The classical music industry needs to confront gender stereotypes which are preventing female composers winning recognition, Radio 3 presenter Sara Mohr-Pietsch has said.
“We need the whole industry to have an open debate,” Mohr-Pietsch told Radio Times. “Why do six of the main music publishers have only between three per cent and 17 per cent women on their books? Is it because not enough women are composing or because they are, but they’re not being commissioned?”
Speaking ahead of International Women’s Day on Sunday, which Radio 3 will mark a schedule of entirely female composers, Ms Mohr-Pietsch said: “You look at the complete classical canon and see that there are very few women in it. When Clara Schumann married Robert, for example, she had to put her status as a composer aside because there was an unwritten rule that there could only be one composer in the house.”
Female composers often miss out on grants “because women put themselves forward for competitive assessment less often than men… No one is suggesting that women get somewhere because of their gender over merit, but the assumption that ‘we haven’t got any women because the men were better’ means you aren’t looking hard enough,” the presenter wrote.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments