Is anyone else following the career of Marin Alsop the 2007 conductor of the Baltimore Symphony? The first woman in the United States to conduct a major symphony? She is a Juilliard School of Music Master's Degree graduate, Yale graduate. She studied with Leonard Bernstein , Master Classes at Juilliard. The reason I ask... as you are our future academics of the classical music world. You will note that women have been so badly treated in serious music from the classical period and before probably. Now according to professors and others of note in the academics of music through the years this is what had to happen before woman are taken seriously in music as composers and conductors of the symphonic world and broadway too actually, it was said to now a woman must become a powerful force standing before a major symphony as a conductor for us to be taken seriously. She has arrived. MARIN ALSOP... Remember now she will set the tone for women to be treated as equals in the world of serious music. Yes, they have tried... but... badly treated to at least to now. Except... Country music has elevated women in music for years, as you know. Before us... the classically educated world of musicians.. Sad. But true. Now you will in time see woman rise to equal power in serious music because Marin Alsop is paving the way. They will go higher and higher in time. She is our hero. Cheers, Sandy B

Here is another conductor you might be interested in:

http://www.laurajackson.net/

Laura Jackson, assistant conductor of the Atlanta Symphony.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Female_composers_in_the_United_States_during_the_20th_century

Note for those who want to relax at the piano..STRESS... into google if you put... stress relief pianist deep breathing. Much will come up and Harvard just sent an article concerning this to my email as I am on their email list of medical public info... latest research etc. Cheers, Sandy B

Are you out to lunch, Sandy B? What does this have to do with this thread?

Regards,

I believe she used to regularly conduct the colorado symphony orchestra and she did a great job.

She? Which she? Several have been mentioned in this thread.

Regards,

For many years, Marin Alsop has been music director and principal conductor of the annual Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music. The festival takes place every summer in Santa Cruz, California, my home town. The performances and rehearsals I've attended have mostly been of a very high caliber. Ms. Alsop has done a very good job leading the orchestra, programming the concerts and generally keeping the festival alive and growing.

Alsop.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and may all of us be blessed this 2007 Holiday Season. Sandy B

Bruce D... Thought for the day: JUST FOR YOU BRUCE:" Aging is inevitable maturity is optional." Sad as SOME PEOPLE never grow up and stay in a child's sandbox forever. Who could this be? Sandy B

I thought American Thanksgiving was in two weeks, not this weekend. In Canada, we had our Thanksgiving a month ago.

That was probably meant for the "stretching" thread.

I think she has a decent Barber cycle on the budget Naxos label. I really like her recording of the lovely Pas de Deux (A Corner of the Ballroom) 3rd movement from Souvenirs, and the Canzonetta for Oboe and Strings, Op. 48 posthumous (a work Barber was working on when he was dying), is moving and beautiful beyond words....

marin was also the recipient of a macarthur 'genius' grant a couple of years ago.
i've worked with her as soloist (and, for fun, orchestral pianist in some copland) on a number of occasions. she's one of the best conductors out there, male or female, and a great personality, too. she was much beloved in denver, and, despite the rocky start due to some disrespectful types in baltimore, will make her stamp on the musical profile of the baltimore symphony in due course.
i love love love marin.