Vienna Philharmonic appoints two women

Six months after she started playing in the first violins of the Vienna State Opera, Ekaterina Frolova has been accepted into the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra*. Well done, Ekaterina.

That’s not just fast. It’s indicative of a new policy within the orchestra.

The ratio of women to men in the Vienna Phil is now roughly 1:10.

Way to go.

UPDATE: A member of the Vienna Philharmonic has questioned this information in the comments section below.

All we can add at this stage is that the Vienna Philharmonic has posted her picture on Facebook with this caption: Ekaterina Frolova, our new colleague in the first violin section.

Ekaterina, who we reported last June was accepted into the Vienna Opera orchestra, has reposted that message in celebratory fashion. We were given to understand that she had been fast-tracked, but we are now looking into it.

2nd UPDATE:

We can further report that another two women – Karin Bonelli (flute) and Patricia Koll (2nd violins) – have lately been accepted into full membership. Even better, Patricia has been named associate principal of her section. (The VPhil website is catching up on this).

*3rd UPDATE: We have received clarification from a member of the orchestra that the announcement about Ekaterina Frolova signified the start of her trial membership, which began yesterday, not the onset of full membership which usually takes three years. They (and we) apologise for any confusion.

However, we now have the benefit of knowing that the VPhil have taken on two extra women, not one.

4th UPDATE: And now, one more.