International Women’s Day: Ensemble Molière on classical music and gender

To mark International Women’s Day, all-female early music chamber group Ensemble Molière give their thoughts on life for women in today’s music industry

By BBC Music Magazine

Published: Wednesday, 08 March 2023 at 12:00 am

Ensemble Molière are an early music chamber group specialising in the music of the French Baroque, and have been selected as the first ever BBC New Generation Baroque Ensemble. The five ensemble members all identify as female and have worked in the music profession as performers, teachers and animateurs for over 15 years.

Here, the group’s five members (Flavia Hirte, flute; Alice Earll, violin; Catriona McDermid, bassoon; Kate Conway, viola da gamba; Satoko Doi-Luck – harpsichord) give us their thoughts on life as a female musician today, how to challenge the gender gap, and more.

On the whole, the ensemble members’ experience of being female in the classical music world has been positive, and even more so within the sphere of early music performance. As a freelance violinist, Alice Earll has found female-led organisations such as the National Centre for Early Music (NCEM), Irish Baroque Orchestra and Dunedin Consort to be the most rewarding to work with:

‘These organisations have provided a framework for honest and transparent communication, with a holistic and inspirational vision,’ says Alice. ‘The relationship the ensemble has built with the NCEM as part of the BBC scheme has been a wonderful source of support.’

However, some ensemble members have also come up against an underlying gendered attitude that women are better suited to educational roles, assuming that working with children or in music tuition is perhaps more practical that a full-time career as a freelance performer.

Catriona McDermid, the ensemble bassoonist, also notes that, as a young woman in prominent roles within the industry, there can sometimes be a lack of respect if you choose a more holistic, non-authoritarian or less stereotypically masculine approach to leadership.

‘It should be noted that although our experiences are mostly positive, being a woman in this industry is not entirely without its difficulties. Unfortunately, we all have anecdotes about sexist behaviour and assumptions of our position or worth based on appearance, as well as experiences of tyrannical male directors.

‘As an ensemble, we hope to see more women in positions of power. We have all been lucky to work with inspirational female leaders, musicians and coaches, but it would be a joy to see more female CEOs, directors, conductors and women at the highest level of decision making.