The following is a partial and sortable list of female classical conductors. Classical conductors work with orchestras, opera companies, ballet companies and choral groups.[1][2] This list exists in the historical context of a lack of female classical conductors in the music profession.[3][4][5]
First female conductor of the Colorado Symphony, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and of OSESP. First female conductor of the Last Night of the Proms in 2013[6]
In 1897 she was named leader of the Gothenburg Workers Institute Concerts, establishing her reputation as the first Swedish woman to conduct a symphony orchestra[8]
First female conductor of these and other German Symphony Orchestras between 1975 and 1980. Conductor of the Orchestra of Hochschule für Musik Freiburg in 1965, Founder and conductor of Orchestra Gelmini since 1969. "The gathering critical judgement of Hortense von Gelmini, Germany's only woman conductor, is that she has not only the talent but the education, energy, and persistence to make her mark in this difficult and competitive profession."[36]
Major orchestras in Munich, Paris, London, Berlin (1924), New York, Hollywood Bowl (1925). Boston Phil., Boston Woman's SO, the Woman's Symphony Orchestra, Chicago.[61]
1886
1970
After retiring as a pianist, studied conducting with Eugene Goossens and Robert Heger in 1923. She conducted at leading European opera houses in the early 1930s, and her own opera, Gale, at Chicago City Opera (1935).
First woman to conduct the BBC Symphony Orchestra. She started the Macnaghten-Lemare series of concerts which introduced the public to new works by British composers. She is considered the first British woman to have worked professionally as a conductor
First-ever Generalmusikdirektorin (female general music director) of the Graz Opera and Graz Philharmonic Orchestra. First female chief conductor of the Teatro Comunale di Bologna. First female conductor ever to conduct at the Bayreuth Festival
First African American woman conductor of Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra Symposia and festival director of Detroit Symphony's African American Composer's Forum and Symposium Created West Coast Women's Conductor/Composer Symposium and American Women Conductor/Composer Symposium at the University of Oregon
First female music director of the EIC * First female chief conductor of the Helsinki Philharmonic * First-ever female conductor in the Metropolitan Opera Live in HD series
First-ever Generalmusikdirektorin (female general music director) of the Theater Erfurt and of the Staatstheater Nürnberg. First-ever female chief conductor of the Konzerthausorchester Berlin, and first-ever female chief conductor of any Berlin orchestra
Conducted at the Hampstead Conservatoire, as well as (until 1920) the South Hampstead Orchestra, which attracted soloists including Fritz Kreisler, Isolde Menges and Mischa Elman.
Full-time faculty at SF Conservatory of Music, Associate Conductor of Opera. Earned an undergraduate degree in aeronautics and literature from Caltech prior to becoming a conductor.[70]
Winner of the American Prize in Conducting 2013[77]
Antonia Joy Wilson
United States
Artistic director: Global Arts Center & Multimedia Symphony in XR Visual Worlds (in development) / Artistic director: Midland Center for the Arts: Midland Symphony Orchestra / resident principal guest conductor: Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra in Sofia for two years / music director: Le Festivale: Orchestra & Chorus of Colorado
1958 (approx)
The youngest woman to conduct a major American orchestra, she made her professional debut with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra at the age of 21.[78] She was noted in a Los Angeles Times article on women cracking the "glass podium" of conducting by being appointed to positions in major American orchestras.[79]
First female conductor of the Vienna State Opera in 1993.[84] Second woman to conduct the Metropolitan Opera. First female chief conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra
* First female music director of the Sioux City Symphony, of La Verdi, and of the NJSO. * First titled female conductor with any BBC orchestra. * First female conductor ever to conduct the annual Beethoven 9 Prom at The Proms. First female music director of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra
^Ammer, Christine (1998). "Classical Music". In Mankiller, Wilma; Mink, Gwendolyn; Navarro, Marysa; Smith, Barbara; Steinem, Gloria (eds.). The Reader's Compainion to U.S. Women's History. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. p. 110. ISBN0395671736.
^Curry, George E.; Webber, Brenda L.; Monroe, Sylvester; Payne, Les (2009-02-19). "a maestro". The Best of Emerge Magazine. Random House Publishing Group. pp. 324–327. ISBN9780307514158.
^"Dana Sadava". San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
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