The CySO Foundation establishes policy for engaging equally women and men as guest conductors and soloists
Close your eyes and listen.
Can you hear the difference? Where male musical notes are no longer alone? Where the feminine has kicked in? Can you hear how the music has changed? Male and female united. With their integration, harmony and balance are duly accomplished. And it all becomes only about the music.
Imagine.
Men and women conductors, equal and in unison, in a melodious merge, elevate the quality of the music collectively directed and produced. Polyphonic and tuneful. Symphonious and lyrical. Kinetic and uninhibited. Of like mind and heart. Solid and undivided. Allied and in accord. Unanimously. Shoulder to shoulder, baton to baton. As one.
As proud members of the Cyprus Symphony Orchestra Foundation, we are thrilled to announce the birth of a new era in classical music on the island and beyond; where female conductors emerge from the shadows of silence. We are here to celebrate the beginning of the end of gender imbalance and the layout of a road paved smoothly for those so far unfairly discouraged, rejected, disempowered, merely based on their gender.
No doubt, traditionally the podium in the western world of classical music has been male dominated. It all started back when women were expected to hide at home while music was commissioned by men, for men. Usually at the palace courts. And it remained so. Over decades women have been told to sit back and away from the podium, due to their alleged lack of strength. To this day we come across musicians claiming this as the reason women should not conduct. “Girls don’t do that”, Marin Alsop was told by her music teacher in the 1970s. Yes? No. That is exactly what Alsop thought. She went on and formed her own orchestra. All this time, men and women have been programmed to think it is “us Vs them”. Until, after a quiet period of silence, the past few decades women began to declare their dream and claim a position on the podium. The sound of the ceiling being gradually and steadily shuttered, now echoes from the podium of Marine Alsop, Zoe Zeniodi, Alondra De La Parra, Suzanna Malkki. JoAnn Falletta, Laurence Equilbey and more; female conductors in the international arena of classical music who dared to surpass bias and earn recognition. The baton is finally beginning to be held equally for the sake of many young promising conductors awaiting in line.
2023 is not the time to deprive our girls of becoming anything they want to. It isn’t the time to cultivate division and animosity between male and female maestros. With wars breaking out everywhere, this isn’t the time to go as low as to rob classical music of its potential with such unification. We know better. “Girls can’t do that” is obsolete, unheard of, and plain idiocy. Canceling out and invalidating our girls, just because they can be a fabricated threat to our boys, is simply ridiculous. Especially in positions of authority like astronauts, presidents, engineers, conductors where their impact and input is of unquestionable importance. We can always choose again what foundation we build our societies on.
Authoritative, strict, commanding are the characteristics attached to male maestros. We think they deserve to balance off with inspiring, nurturing, guiding, connecting, supporting, empowering, leading. Classical Music is the universal language that brings humans of any background together, inviting them into sharing an experience and uniting them through mere sound. In a field with such influence on the human race, we can no longer allow the division between genders. The world of classical music deserves our attention and support; our revolution and objection to outdated mindsets that prevent capable, skillful, and passionate women from standing tall at the leading position of the conductor, soloist, and music director. Stand tall next to their fellow men who need them. For the variety they add. For complementing the male with the female.
Classical music transcends borders, languages, cultures, politics, and now gender. Today the doors are slightly open to human beings outside the norm, prevailing over long lasting discrimination. In a globalized world where religion vs religion, race vs race, gender vs gender, are winning no battles, we beg to differ. We promote collaboration; the union of genders for the best possible output. Classical music in absolute balance. Together we bring equality in classical music. We join forces with international institutions to introduce more and more female maestras to create the balance classical music deserves. These past few years alone, the Foundation invited more female conductors than ever before in the history of the CySO. Zoe Zeniodi, Zoe Tsokanou, Christina Athinodorou, Kyriaki Kountouri, Liza Xanthopoulou. These are a few of the names of female musicians who honored the CySO with their presence so far. These are the women who did not submit to any fear of the status quo. These are the new additions that are slowly but surely creating the new balance, the new state of affairs in classical music. Their presence adds an elegant note to the chronicles of the CySO, reminding us of how genders work best, united rather than divided.
What the director/producer of the 2022 documentary “Maestra”, Maggie Contreras has revealed in her interview – and can be confirmed by other sources such as The NY Times – can blow one’s mind. The Vienna Philharmonic did not formally have a female player until 1997. Up until then, the Vienna State Opera that was in charge of the recruiting would not allow women to audition for the Philharmonic. Thus, we wish to also honor the names of amazing soloists who have collaborated with our orchestra the past three years: Anais Gaudemard (harp), Andri Hadjiandreou (piano), Elena Mitella (piano), Natasa Hadjiandreou (percussion), Annie Fessa (soprano), Theodora Baka (mezzo-soprano), Zoe Nicolaidou (soprano), Mariza Anastasiades (soprano), Ioanna Troullidou (jazz singer), Rafaela Charalambous (mezzo-soprano), Simona Eisinger (soprano), Gulnara Shafigullina (soprano).
We ask you to get on board to help us achieve our vision where there is grace and ease in the path of female conductors. We need you, the audience, the applauders, the listeners, the music lovers, human beings of any gender. Our aim has been to foster sincere awareness and inspire you to join us. Our role as Board of Directors of the CySO Foundation is coming to an end. But our work, our vow, our pledge, our passion will stay to pave the way for more and better. In our absence, we ask that you demand and expect more and better. In our absence, we will continue to support, encourage, gender balance in classical music. We will persist in making it all about the music, releasing it from stereotypes, limitations, inhibitions and prohibitions. Blood has been shed for millions of years for freedom of spirit, freedom of voice, and the right to choose. Upon assignment as the CySO Board of Directors we promised to do everything in our power to achieve more equality on the podium. As we create progress, the ceiling must be broken for the shattering to be heard loud and clear.
Imagine.
You may say we are dreamers. But we are not the only ones. We hope someday you’ll join us. And music will lead as one.
