This season, the New World Symphony will proudly recognize and celebrate the impact of women on classical music, spanning from composers and conductors to musicians, educators, administrators, and board members. “Balancing the Score: A Celebration of Women in Classical Music” is the theme of the New World Symphony’s 36th Anniversary Gala, coming April 6th, 2024.
Established in 1987, the New World Symphony is an orchestral academy based in Miami Beach, FL. From its performance home in the New World Center, designed by award-winning architect Frank Gehry, the NWS trains graduates of music programs for leadership roles in professional orchestras, ensembles, and music institutions in more than 30 countries around the world.
The Gala Chair for this year’s event is Ann M. Drake, Chicago businesswoman, founder of Lincoln Road Enterprises and the Women’s Leadership Center at Williams Bay, and member of the symphony’s Board of Trustees. “I’m so excited that this year’s Gala celebrates all that women bring to classical music,” said Ms. Drake. “Classical music has always been important to me; I’m a passionate supporter of the arts. But I also have a lifelong commitment to advancing women in leadership. This beautiful evening will be a gift to our community, to the world of music, and to women everywhere.”
Although women at the higher levels of society were historically encouraged to study music as part of their education and allowed to sing or play at home, public music performances by women were deemed unseemly or immoral until at least the 18th century. In the U.S., the founding of music conservatories, the rising popularity of opera, and the gradual acceptance of female musicians into symphony orchestras very gradually increased the presence of women in classical music; yet until the 1960s, it was almost impossible to find a woman playing in a major symphony orchestra. Imbalances continue to exist, particularly in composing and conducting classical music.
By celebrating the countless contributions of women to classical music, the New World Symphony hopes to foster change, with projects that encompass a range of educational, performance and community endeavors.
“The New World Symphony has committed to spreading the power of music throughout the world via education and leadership and performance,” said Ms. Drake. “And music has the power to remind us of our better selves—as men, as women, and as people everywhere.”