Qualifications
It has long been thought that, "Women are fully capable of fulfilling the orchestral profession's hardest requirements", as conductor Nikolaus Harnoncourt proclaims. His colleague, Franz Welser-Mõst, conductor of the Zurich Opera House, has filled 20 of 30 free positions in the last seven years with women.

"All the constantly repeated misgivings are absurd," according to Mõst. "Maternity leave is not a problem, and women do not play worse than men." This was hastily seconded by Peter Schmidl of the Philharmonic, "Our new women musicians fit into the orchestra very well and have no difficulties. They are colleagues just like all the others." If one speaks, however, of the women musician fired after her probationary period in 2002 -- after only two years in the orchestra -- the response is, "For that I have no comment."

[Schmidl is referring to harpist, Julie Palloc, who was originally hired to replace Anna Lelkes. Profil continues with a paragraph devoted to the status of women in music. They mention that women represent only 13.2% of the Berlin Philharmonic 20 years after they began admitting them, note women's low representation as professors of music, and point out that not a single woman leads a major opera or concert orchestra. The author observes that women are most likely found in lower orchestral and teaching positions with less prestige. He continues by quoting two Austrian politicians who have recently addressed the problem of women in the Philharmonic: - WO]

"This can't be solved with quota regulations," says Christine Muttonen, Cultural Speaker of the Austrian Socialist Party, who brought attention to the skewed Philharmonic situation with a parliamentary enquiry in 2001. "But it is incomprehensible that more women study music than men, and that they are still a minority in its professional life." Eva Glawischnig of the Green Party has encouraged the Philharmonic, "to speed up the tempo. The final decision must naturally be artistic. But one can quite consciously encourage women to apply."

[Profil continues by observing that there are still many more men applying to the Philharmonic than women. From 1998 to 2001, 357 men applied for positions in the Philharmonic, but only 86 women. They asked Herr Schmidl about this: - WO]

Promises

[Profil observes that the12.5 percent ratio for women as new Philharmonic employees is far below the average international representation of women in (major) orchestras which is about 20 percent. The Zurich Opera has hired twenty women, during the same time period Vienna has hired three. The Czech Philharmonic, an all-male orchestra that opened its doors to women in 1996, has hired eight non-harpist women, or four times as many as Vienna during the same time period. If the Vienna Philharmonic's continues hiring only two non-harpist women every six years, it will be another 36 years before women represent 10 percent of orchestra. Profil concludes:]

"Otherwise we make ourselves laughable"
by Stefan Grissemann and Peter Schneeberger
February 24, 2003
Profil
(partial translation by William Osborne)

Peter Schmidl, business manager of the Philharmonic, on women as orchestra musicians and their chances in the elite Viennese orchestra.

profil: In 1997 the Philharmonic decided to accept women. So far there have not been more than three.

Schmidl: The decision to take women was made six years ago, and three women are naturally a bit too few. But we are dealing with a process that takes time. Only about twenty percent of the applications for free positions have been from women. Apparently they are shy about applying. It is surely not easy for a young girl to say to herself: I want to be in the Philharmonic, but I will be one of the first women there. We have to remove their fear.

profil: Why has a lower percentage of women been taken than applied?

Schmidl: We can't fill any quotas. The deciding question is not whether someone is a man or woman, rather who is the best. If a woman is the best we must engage her, otherwise we make ourselves laughable. It's not because of a negative attitude held by Philharmonic members, but rather, that we must animate women to be even better than they are, otherwise they would have received more positions. [The competition in auditions is ferocious, and the votes are often close. With a third of the orchestra a priori against women, their chances are greatly reduced unless that can far outplay the men. -Profile]

profil: Do women play differently than men?

Schmidl: I am not sure. There are definitely national differences. A Chinese senses [empfindet] a Bruckner symphony differently than an American or Italian. Otherwise, all orchestras would sound the same. It could be that women also sense music differently; in any case, purely biologically, they have a different set of prerequisites [Voraussetzungen].

profil: The official position of the Vienna Philharmonic is different from some of its members. It is heard in conversation that women would ruin the orchestra

Schmidl: There are extreme opinions everywhere in society. There are people who play down the dangers of communism; others play down National Socialism. Perhaps it is indeed important in a democracy, that no one is forbidden to speak; otherwise we would be practicing fascism from the other side. [Philharmonic members are strictly forbidden to speak to the press. - Profile] I am happy that people say: I oppose. Why not? One must only try to persuade. Two thirds of the Philharmonic members are for allowing women into our orchestra.

profil: In 1998, a violist of the Berlin Philharmonic applied for a job with the Vienna Philharmonic. She was not permitted to audition, because at 35 she was over the age limit of 30. The man who was engaged is 32.

Schmidl: The man who was engaged had already been an orchestra member for several years and applied for this free solo position. He was not a new entry. But I well remember the agitation, when the Berlin Philharmonic didn't take Sabine Meyer. She is a very excellent clarinetist and has a world career, exactly because she wasn't for some reason engaged by the orchestra. Not to say she didn't deserve that orchestra. But if she were a man, it could have been that she would have stayed in the orchestra and not made a world career as a soloist.

profil: This is a cynical standpoint.

Schmidl: It wasn't meant to be. It's just that there is this other perspective also.

profil: The representation of women in university music schools is over 50 percent. Why does the representation of women in orchestras average only 20 percent?

Schmidl: It could be that women should take their studies more seriously than they have so far. If a man studies an instrument, the parents naturally assume that is how he will earn his living. For women, the views are less clear. Forty years ago, people thought women should follow a role as mothers, and said, You will surely marry someone. Unfortunately, this picture of women still hangs in many heads.

profil: In 2000, a woman was employed by the orchestra. Why was she fired in 2002?

Schmidl: This has nothing to do with her being a woman, but rather artistic reasons. Every new musician must pass a probationary period. If a man were let go after a year, the media would not raise a howl. If a woman is let go, all assume we are sexist, which is not true. The probationary period is important. I can divorce my wife. But I am chained to my colleagues for 35 years. I must harmonize with them artistically and humanly.

profil: Is that more difficult with women than men?

Schmidl: Other conflicts can appear. For some men, the behavior of groups with women are more complex. Animosities and jealousies can arise, that is clear.

profil: Why should working together in an orchestra be more difficult than in other professions?

Schmidl: Because the teamwork is much more awkward. In no other profession is this so deep. Handworkers can work alongside each other. But with us, complete agreement must reign with the partner.

profil: The last male bastion is the conductor's podium. Why have women hardly broken through?

Schmidl: A conductor must be a true leader. Perhaps women are timid about leading a men's group [sic-WO]. I myself have led student orchestras. This massed energy comes at you: One has fear. Also, I'm not sure men really want themselves to be led by women. Indeed, women have, so to speak, equal rights, but differently than men. The differences are, thank God, still at hand.

profil: What percentage of women would you like to see in ten years?

Schmidl: One quarter women would be nice. But judging from the current application situation, I don't think it will be more than ten percent. We must send a clear message to women: prepare yourselves so well that you'll be the best. Then you will get the position.