“The world cares very little about what a man or woman knows; it is what a man or woman is able to do that counts.” Virgil
I never expected to be a choral conductor; it was not my dream. And when I realized I would have to major in Music Ed, I was horrified!
As a child, I took piano lessons. I sang in a host of children’s choirs available at the church where my Mom (a coloratura soprano) sang in the professional quartet. Both my younger sister and I sang. Sissy* sang soprano, since she could not read when we began choir and I sang alto, since I could. We were so good, if there was any solo; we automatically got them without audition. We sang lots of duets. And often sang them for musical programs our Mom put together, which included us, for church women’s groups.
Dad was a dancer, choreographer and stage director. I began ballet lessons with two of his friends, John Kriza and Ruth Ann Koesen, who had started a ballet school back home in Chicago after they retired from American Ballet Theater. I studied with them while waiting for a place at the ballet school all of them had attended, the Stone-Camryn School of Ballet. I was about 11 or 12 by the time there was a spot.
Around the same time I began lessons at Stone-Camryn, Mom and Dad were in rehearsals for a production of “Die Fledermaus.” Dad was the stage director and Mom was singing Adele. The last two weeks were at the venue, on stage, and the rehearsal accompanist was having trouble keeping up because of page turns. Dad asked me one day if I would like to be the page turner. I agreed immediately. So, five days a week, after getting back from my ballets classes downtown and having a quick bite to eat, I went with them to rehearsal.
Their production of “Die Fledermaus” opened my eyes. I loved the music and the wonderful dancing and the comedy of it all but I also realized for the first time, direction was important to a show. I began to understand the parts and pieces of a production; it wasn’t just the music and singing, or the dancing and acting but how things was put together which made it whole.
I flourished at Stone-Camryn. Believe me, it wasn’t easy! I was not the typical ballet dancer but Mr. Camryn saw something in me and put me in his character ballet classes. Those classes felt like coming home. There were plans for me, big plans, for my dancing career. But I saw Dad, in his 40s, not dancing as much and what to do AFTER my short life as a ballet dancer, specializing in character work, worried me. Dancers are not stupid people. I began to think about things I could do. I loved creating dance so perhaps, I could be a ballet choreographer. But I really loved music and how the music fits with the steps. I wanted to be a ballet conductor.
After coming to this momentous decision at the age of 13, almost 14, I mentioned to Mr. Camryn I had decided what I wanted to do after I could no longer dance. I told him I wanted to be a ballet conductor. HE LAUGHED AT ME! He told me I was being silly because girls did not conduct orchestras. It never occurred to me I couldn’t become a ballet conductor because I was a girl. I mentioned Sarah Caldwell (conductor of the Boston Opera). He told me I did NOT want to be like that fat slob but could probably conduct choirs. And THAT, my dears, is why I am a choral conductor.
While being a choral conductor is fulfilling and I actually love what I do, it’s still not easy to be a woman in this profession. It might be a little easier if you are in a school situation. It might be better if you do church work. But it might not. If you conduct in the community or professional realms, it is definitely not!
It is often attitudes from those we conduct or their difficulty accepting direction from a woman which makes it harder for women than their male counterparts. As a woman conductor (no matter the genre or level) if you are kind, you are a wimp and not strong enough for the job. If you are tough or know what you want, you are ah-hum, a witch and too emotional and out of control.
The public’s pre-conceived notions are also to blame for making it difficult. As recently as last April, I was confronted with blatant sexism. It was at a reception for another music organization and a woman (drunk) told me she didn’t think it was natural for a woman to conduct anything and told me I looked weird when I was doing so! I was so stunned, I said nothing but believe there is nothing I could have said which would have changed her mind.
Women conductors must help each other change attitudes, of those we conduct and of our audiences. We must unstick the doors long shut to us….or open a window if we can’t get that darn door open!
*Name Withheld
Michael J. Seredick says
I offer another thought regarding females directing choirs AND orchestras. I sang with the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus over a period of forty years and know that Choral Directors are often looked upon negatively by instrumentalists, especially at the level of the Cleveland Orchestra. We were always treated respectfully by the orchestra, but when the Choral Maestro was on the podium as the main conductor, grumbling was common. Even the great Robert Shaw had to deal with that problem, both in Cleveland and Atlanta.
I had the good fortune/accident of being on jury duty with an orchestra member for one week. We weren’t on a case immediately and had spare time to visit and share music thoughts. He verified that the Orchestra was often highly judgmental of Choral Directors who also directed the concert. In fairness instrumental guest conductors were often evaluated in like manner. However, my violist friend admitted Choral Directors were red-flagged more often than guest instrumental Directors.
So, at the highest performance levels, it may not only be a female prejudice, but a Choral Music Director problem (male and female) as seen through the eyes of some instrumentalists.
I mention this as an expansion of Marie’s article. We must believe in ourselves and our talent to overcome these human challenges. I respect all music-makers. At the moment, my greatest thrill is observing a grandson who has just completed six months of Suzuki violin training. I love his improved tuning on that tiny violin. We are all involved in the musical arts together. Let’s work together.
Marie Grass Amenta says
I would agree about the chorus/orchestra prejudice, having experienced myself. I usually feel like a *score carrier* when I am with orchestral conductors because that’s how I am treated; good enough to prepare the chorus but only good enough to carry the score after my *job* is done.
A few years ago I arranged to have a private lesson with a Big Deal orchestral conducting pedagogue . All was going well and we arranged a day and time. He then realized I was a choral conductor. He told me he could not, in good conscience, give me a lesson because he wouldn’t know what to teach a choral conductor. I wanted to work on my stick technique and heaven knows what he thought I wanted…….I use a stick and that technique should be the same for instruments and voices, right? In any event, I see him occasionally and am always uncomfortable now when I do.
Marie Grass Amenta says
The example you give of Jeanette Sorrell is exactly what I am talking about; she found a way to do what she wanted to do……and kicked open a door to do it. As a young girl (and we won’t mention when I was a young girl), I had no idea how I could become a conductor other than working with choirs. I don’t think of myself as *just* a choral conductor BTW but as a conductor, pure and simple.
I am perfectly aware there are plenty of highly successful women at the University and K-12 levels…..but not at the professional level. There are some young women out there trying but it is discouraging to try to break through the ranks when it seems to be a *men only* club. We can’t not acknowledge the norm if we hope to change it.
I thank you for your thoughts. It would indeed be wonderful to just sing and bring beauty. However, bringers of beauty should not be limited to one type of person because there are many types of beauty.
Michael J. Seredick says
Interesting article. In my town, Jeanette Sorrell would be a professional director who could relate to your experience. Google her name and read her career ladder to success. If I recall correctly, she auditioned as a Cleveland Orchestra Assistant Conductor and was rejected. Undismayed, she formed Apollo’s Fire, Cleveland’s highly successful Baroque Orchestra.
I don’t doubt there is prejudice at the professional level, but there are abundant, highly successful female choral directors at Universities everywhere. Also, female choral directors K-12 are as common as male counterparts. I’m not sure statistics have been compiled on this issue, or that such data is necessary.
I had the privilege of knowing and working with Dr. Betsy Burleigh, currently at Indiana University. During our time together, I never thought male/female ability. She was a wonderful person and fabulous musician. That’s all that mattered. Those are the same feelings I have for my wife who is a choral director.
Prejudice comes in many forms. Hopefully, we continue to overcome “incorrect opinions” about one another. Some are too tall, others stout or thin, proper concert attire, how to bow, when to speak to the audience, or not speak. The discussion is endless. Can we just sing, and bring peace and beauty to those who assemble in the auditorium?