Vienna: ‘At least 10 years before a woman conducts New Year concert’

The chairman of  the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Daniel Froschauer,  is taking pride in the gentle progress his orchestra is making towards gender parity. This year, for  the first time, girls will sing with the Vienna Boys Choir and around a dozen women will play as members of the orchestra. ‘We are not dinosaura,’ says Froschauer.

However, when it comes to a woman conducting the New Years Day extravaganza – still the most watched classical show on TV – Froschauer urges caution. The orchestra have worked recently, for instance, with Joanna Mallwitz of the Berlin Konzerthausorchester. But let’s not rush into a relationship.

Frischauer stipulates that, as a matter of policy, the Vienna Philharmonic only invite conductors to the New Year’s Concert after they have worked with them for at least ten years.