Boston’s turbulent flute quits
OrchestrasWe hear from the Boston Symphony Orchestra that Elizabeth Rowe will step down as principal flute in August 2024.
She says: ‘It has been a privilege to share the stage with my exceptional colleagues in the BSO for these many years. I look forward to this final season with deep gratitude to everyone who has been a part of my musical life — from my earliest teachers to the many extraordinary musicians whose artistry has inspired me along the way.’
In February 2019 Rowe dropped a lawsuit against the orchestra, which she claimed was underpaying her in comparison to male principals.
“Turbulent”? What a ridiculous word to use in this description. Rowe had a totally legitimate gripe and most likely got what she was looking for. Shame on the BSO for letting it get as ugly as it did.
She is a Principal Flute in the tradition of the great Doriot Anthony Dwyer: not afraid to stand up for what’s right.
Why is a woman who defends her right to earn the same salary as a man in the same position labeled “turbulent”? She’s quite the opposite of turbulent really – elegant & well-spoken & extremely diplomatic. She simply requested the same salary as her male counterpart. This followed Mass. law.
She was correct & it was settled in her favor discretely out of court. She couldn’t have been less turbulent!
“Discreetly”, not “discretely”.
Echt ?
What’s with all the philistines giving me a thumbs-down? “Discrete” and “discreet” are two completely different words.
I agree, it seems that she was very professional, but we must remember how news outlets make their money, by creating controversy, even if there is none present. Best way to end media abuse is to stop paying for it.
I have lost a dear friend, with whom I shared many happy memories. RIP André.
Betty Rowe is legendary; not only for her musical chops (which are without equal!) but also for her zeal in taking on the “establishment” over equal pay for female musicians! But it’s time to “pass the flute” (No, not the baton this time!). BSO need look no further than KIMBERLY ZALESKI, Principal Flute of the Firelands Symphony Orchestra. This incredibly talented and widely experienced performer comes highly recommended and would be the perfect asset in Boston!
You know people have to apply, audition, and win the job, right?
Zara: Her name isn’t Betty, she’s not even 50 yet, & she’s not passing any batons.
Your friend from the Firefly Orchestra can submit a resume in a year or so if & when the BSO announces the position. If her resume is selected from the hundreds of well qualifed flutists with advanced degrees who will be applying she may be invited to submit a video prescreening audition. If she passes that round she would most likely find herself in a live audition situation with a group of internationally renowned solo flutists who are usually from other major orchs. who are all competing for the job. The finalists from that round would then be invited to play trial periods with the orch.
Do you seriously think that the Boston Symphony Orchestra is reading the comments in Slipped Disc for their next Principal Flute? Your comment is ridiculous & insulting.
Dear Anon,
You call my comment “ridiculous and insulting” but as you can clearly see I have highly complimented Betty on her musical talent and her personal spunk as well as recognizing another extraordinarily gifted principal flute. What is “ridiculous and insulting” about that? As a professional, I know full well and appreciate the rigorous process involved in choosing the best candidate for membership in any orchestra. I’m not trying to influence or in any way subvert the selection mechanism. Like anyone else — yourself included, Dear Anon! — I’m just expressing my highly informed opinion…and I see NOTHING “ridiculous and insulting” about that!
Who is “Betty”?
Dear Anon,
1) I have been aware of Ms Rowe for some time now. As far as I am concerned, she will always be “Betty” to me
2} Ms Zaleski is first flute in the Firelands Orchestra in Cleveland. Not the FIREFLY as you so sarcastically misstated the name. Furthermore, Ms Zaleski is NOT my “friend” as you so erroneously state. I have had the privileged pleasure of hearing her perform and her playing is exquisitely extraordinary.
Everybody calm down, Zara’s just being a boomer on the internet.
Naw. Lots of us here are Boomers & we don’t sound like this. Zara sounds older than a Boomer, like pre 1945. What’s that called – the “Silent Generation”? Maybe Zara should take that cue.
Hi, Zara,
You mean well but I’m afraid you don’t see why your opinion isn’t as important as you think it should be here.
You’re presuming a level of familiarity with both Elizabeth Rowe & the orchestral profession which is annoying.
Let’s say you have a really good family doctor there in Ohio. You like this dr. a lot & think she does a terrific job. A situation comes up at one of the world’s leading medical institutions – let’s say the Mayo Clinic – which might result in a top position there being open.
You jump into the comments section of a blog where hundreds of top medical professionals – many of whom are extremely well qualified for this position themselves – are discussing this situation. You announce that your family doctor in Ohio would be perfect for this job. How do you think that would go over?
First of all, who are you? Are you a conductor who works with pro orchs & might know something about this? Are you another flutist who’s trained all your life for a position like this? Are you even someone with a vague understanding of how orchestras hire? No, you are a guy who attends concerts of his hometown orch who likes a flutist.
No disrespect, that’s definitely important, but the BSO is like the Mayo Clinic. It’s an internationally renowned institution & they don’t hire on the basis of nominations from the public.
It’s great that you like this flutist but that doesn’t make her qualified for the BSO. And I’m pretty sure she is wishing you’d stop mentioning her by name. The last thing any aspiring orch player needs is having their good name & credentials scrutinized publicly in the comments section of a blog.
I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt & assume you just like her playing. But you could be her husband, her lover, her father, a family member or her agent. Glancing at her bio I see that one her primary teachers is one of the most notorious sexual predators in the business. Who’s to say you’re not connected to him somehow? We don’t know that here.
This is why you don’t do what you did. Don’t drag your opinions & especially, names into online conversations on topics which you know little about.
And the nickname Betty, by the way, is pretty exclusive to women over 75. Younger women might use Beth or Liz. Elizabeth Rowe isn’t even 50, she is dignified & elegant & very much Elizabeth.
Betty Is her name. Enough of the us blather.
Sara, nope. You Brits can invent ridiculous monikers for your own queen but we see the name Betty as demeaning. She ‘s a US flutist & her name is Elizabeth.
Kind remark–what is your obsession with 50 yo? As if that is geriatic, or elderly, etc. The insinuations are rather USian. Are you american-usian? Please kindly refrain from being and acting so pompous, sarcastic, and elitist. Music is for all. Thank you Sir, Madame.
Sam, most orch players retire around 65. When someone leaves a destination job before that age, it’s noteworthy. I don’t know exactly how old Elizabeth Rowe is except that she’s around 48. I didn’t feel like researching her exact age & I didn’t want to get it wrong so I said “under 50”. It’s astounding that you are so fixated on that detail.
Agree Ms Zaleski is superb. Also Gabe Southard at Hopes College Associate Professor is amazing. Maybe they’ll be selected by the orchestra
I vote for Lizzo. You Brits really like her, right? Andrea Bocelli also plays the flute. Can we nominate him, too!
Turbulent? For some old misogynists maybe,yes…..A fantastic musician,great human being, and a great,really inspirational life coach(which you should have mentioned)…I benefit greatly from her wise,funny and emphatic posts and advice.
Nothing but support for the lady but…why do Americans always write and talk in this kind of rose-tinted, sugary, so-called ‘inspirational’, yet backstabbing and fake way? It’s incredibly annoying! Say what you think and be a genuine human being instead of hiding behind this courtesan facade!
What are you talking about?
Bc they think they know everything and what’s ‘good’ for others. Little introspection nor self-reflection. Sad, empty folks on a ship that’s going down, so they lash out. Music is for all, not elites-rich kids, nor americans/usians.
Sam, you butted in on an exchange here between 2 people in the US. You’re passing judgement based on a situation/culture which you’re observing as an outsider.
No one here from the US is telling anyone not in the US what’s good for them. Don’t superimpose your wild generalizations about US foreign policy onto a conversation between 2 people in the US in the comments section of Slipped Disc.
On the contrary, one of your citizens – presumably British – is telling us here that those of us in the US should call our distinguished Principal Flute by a ridiculous nickname which happens to be familiar in the UK. That’s not elitism. It’s not her name! Brits use that name. We don’t.
The fundamental point which you’re missing is that classical music in the US is overwhelmingly funded privately. Wealthy private donors pay for most if it. This is why classical music in the US exists, by nature, under the shadow of elitism.
One of the problems private arts funding creates is that elitist patrons like our friend Zara here, assume that because they patronize the arts that they are experts. This can be really annoying to those of us who actually work in arts professions. We suck it up at concerts & fund raisers & say nothing but in a blog comments section that attitude is fair game. I corrected her/him about their self acclaimed expertise. That’s not elitism, it’s the calling out of elitism.
This are details within US arts culture which, you, being in a country where classical music is publicly funded, & where it’’s truly by & for everyone, are likely not aware of.
Don’t judge. You’re not in a position to do so.
Thankful for this post, as it gave Needlewoman something to write about today.
Others have dealt with the adjective in the headline. Now, about the verb… she’s staying on for another year; it’s quite possible to imagine that she’s retiring; yet “quits” gives a very different impression of her departure. I’ve never known a fellow employee who announced, “I’m quitting!”… and then gave a year’s notice.
I’d struggle to name a musician more highly regarded by her colleagues. She is a treasure in the world of classical music, and an absolute joy to listen to. Best of luck to Ms. Rowe in all her future endeavors.
Your title is inaccurate and offensive, as is your ending sentence. She “dropped” her lawsuit because, after being grossly underpaid compared to her male colleagues, BSO finally offered her a reasonable settlement. Elizabeth is intelligent, circumspect, dignified and elegantly articulate…one of the least turbulent people I’ve known.
Quit? She is not, she is leaving!!!
Turbulent? Why not go all the way and label her ‘hysterical’?? She was making $60,000 less than the principal oboist and found that out only after she’d been in the orchestra a very long time. She was told by management that the oboe was a more difficult instrument. Thankfully, due to Massachusetts law that provides for equality, her lawsuit was a slamdunk. Still, it took guts to do it. Because of this experience, she became a leadership coach and is pursuing this avenue as a career. May all women holding down principal positions in major symphony orchestras take a bow!
I admittedly only know what I read at the time of the lawsuit in 2018, but I understood that the salary differential was because the principal oboe (who seems to be a thoroughly decent person btw) had been able to negotiate a particularly good deal, due to the circumstances surrounding his appointment. She was the fifth best paid of 15 or 16 principals and was as well as, or better, than the principal clarinet or principal bassoon. These re both men who have been in their position for 30+ years. Did they get an increase or did they just have to suck it up?
It seems that the inequity arises from the extremely individualistic culture in the US. In Europe, there is a salary scale and this situation wouldn’t arise. The whole situation was unfair, but I’m not sure whether it was due to gender.
“ I’m not sure whether it was due to gender”…I understand, and such reasoning is common. I think the more apt question is, “Are you sure gender had *nothing* to do with it?” Apparently Massachusetts and eventually the BSO decided in her favor.
Men and women should be paid equally for equal work. HOWEVER, having played all the woodwind instruments (except oboe) and being married to a top professional solo oboist myself, I have to mention that solo flue and solo oboe are not the same job.
If it was a suit between two Principal/Solo Oboists or the same age, then I would say there is some thing about which to argue. But the fact is that oboists have a second job outside of playing and practicing, namely REED MAKING. (The same goes for bassoon to a slightly lesser extent.) Flautists don’t need to spend many hours making new head joints every week.
It’s also crucial to understand that of the wind instruments, only the oboe needs to be replaced every 5-8 years. It’s because oboes are made of a delicate wood that can crack under even optimal conditions. They have many more problems than the other woodwinds. Metal flutes (the vast majority) on the other hand can last for decades needing only pad replacements and minor adjustments. While a Nakamatsu gold flute can cost about €50,000, it will last for decades. In the same period, an oboist will likely go through half a dozen Marigaux or Lorée instruments costing roughly €10,000 each.
Then there is the costly issue of regular adjustments for oboes, which is again an issue that only oboists face. Bassoons, clarinets, and flutes can make do with just an annual check-up and possible repairs. In Germany, the repair shops make most of their money on these annual overhauls, whether necessary or not. Oboes, on the other hand, have adjustments that need to be made quite regularly. These can have far reaching consequences for any great and sensitive player. All of this costs extra.
All that being equal, then absolutely men and women should be paid equally.
Clarinets usually need to be replaced every so often. Oboes can age well and certain vintage models are highly sought. Many top professionals play on decades old Lorées that have been handed down.
I think you’ll find that only Americans have this complex about trading in their oboe as often as they change cars. As both an oboist and flautist I rather wish I did get paid for the time (and years of built up skill) of reed making, but come on, get real!
Not really? At least from my experience, American oboists tend towards the opposite extreme. AFAIK, European oboists aren’t the ones continually playing on and maintaining 60 year old Loree’s…
Some years ago, someone (sorry, I no longer remember who) proposed that violinists should be paid more than anyone else in the orchestra because they play more notes than anyone else (etc etc). That idea was quickly scuppered as an alley nobody wanted to go down.
Furthermore, the idea that oboists should be paid more because their instruments cost more (as detailed above) is the same sort of blind alley, because string players generally pay vastly more for their instruments than any wind player, and for maintenance and insurance as well. Should string players therefore be paid more than wind players (whether section or principal)?
“Nakamatsu”? Dear god, please stop before you embarrass yourself further. (Also, oboes absolutely do not “have to be replaced every 5-8 years”; MANY professionals have played the same oboe for decades, and the phenomenon of “blow out” is WIDELY debated in the oboe world, as many players do not subscribe to it at all.)
What is a Nakamatsu flute? Is that a Nagahara head with a Muramatsu body? Or did the guy who invented floppy discs branch out into making high end flutes?
As a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra flute section, I feel that I must respond to the ‘headline’ that Mr. Lebrecht posted regarding the departure of Elizabeth Rowe. First of all, Elizabeth Rowe is, without question, one of the the best principal flutists in our business. It goes without saying that her playing is artistry at the highest level, but having had the privilege of working with her for 17 years, I can also say that she is the consummate leader – kind, smart, diplomatic – everything that is necessary to be an exemplary principal player. We are heartbroken that she has decided to leave the orchestra – it is a huge loss for us – however, we are thrilled that she has found her next chapter and I have no doubt that she will continue to be an advocate for positive change. If Elizabeth was ‘turbulent’, it was in the fact that she wasn’t afraid to challenge an archaic and antiquated system of pay that exists in all aspects of business, whether it’s a for-profit or non-profit enterprise. And by the way, this wasn’t a fight that she sought out; it was a fight that was imposed upon her. In the end, she wasn’t afraid to, in the words of the late John Lewis, ‘make good trouble’ and she will forever have my admiration and respect. Bravo Elizabeth!!!!
Bravo Elizabeth,bravo Cynthia!!!!And Bravo,the other Elizabeth too!!!!
Thank you, Cynthia…beautifully expressed. I know you will celebrate her success and grieve her loss, as I did when she left the “other BSO”!
Elizabeth Rowe is not “turbulent.”
She is quite the opposite, while also being highly principled, fighting for what she believes in.
I am the associate principal flute of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the veteran in the BSO’s flute section. I joined the BSO 10 years before Elizabeth R. did, and she and I have worked together for nearly 2 decades.
Elizabeth R. is the gold standard for what a truly great orchestral principal player should be like. Everyone already knows that she is a superstar and one of the greatest principal flutists in the world. Audiences have been awed by her inspiring artistry, imagination and impeccable flute-playing skills, heard in Boston and around the world, day in, day out in rehearsals, concerts, concertos, and recordings.
However, what audiences may not realize is how many other skills Elizabeth R. brings to the job, and what makes her such a superbly strong section leader.
Some examples:
Every several months, Orchestra Personnel gives all the principals suggested castings for the repertoire ahead. Elizabeth R. immediately shares them with the 3 of us in the flute section; we talk openly about what changes we’d like to make, and then she writes to Orchestra Personnel and cc’s all of us on the email. This may sound like a small thing. It’s not. The repertoire we wind up playing = our job. A lot of misunderstandings about castings within a section can easily crop up, and often does. But with Elizabeth R., castings are always completely straightforward, openly discussed and agreed upon, months in advance. This all takes hours of her admin labor and thoughtfulness. She is 37 steps ahead of the rest of us. She once found out that the NY Phil had commissioned 2 organ pipes for a section of the piccolo parts of Schoenberg’s Gurrelieder, and made sure we had them, months in advance.
Elizabeth R. is an other-centered team player, and always looks out for the rest of us in the section. She once played an all Elliott Carter concert for me at Tanglewood, so I could spend time with my mother in cancer treatments. She once urged Clint Foreman to take emergency leave and played 2nd flute for him in a Tanglewood concert, without any rehearsal. Before she took a sabbatical this past season, she pulled me aside and encouraged me to ask management for higher pay for taking on principal responsibilities for the year.
Outside of work, she was an invaluable sounding board and advisor to me 5 years ago, joining me in a meeting with an institutional leader to help navigate a horrific #MeToo situation that had been badly mishandled by that institution for years. This all was in the midst of her lawsuit.
There are countless examples of her thoughtfulness over the years.
Elizabeth R. is also unusually gifted in navigating difficult situations (and people) with both honesty and grace.
While the BSO wasn’t playing together in 2020, she turned her creative energies towards building a community to help young professional musicians and music school grads with their questions and struggles in life and in the music world.
Elizabeth R. is now a much sought-after consultant and mentor for high achieving professionals (mostly non-musicians), who also wish to think outside the box, find greater fulfillment, and work towards positive solutions in extremely difficult work environments. During Elizabeth R.’s sabbatical this past season, it has become a full-time job for her. Although she really loves playing in the BSO, she has also thoroughly enjoyed moving her career in an entirely new direction, challenging her in brand new ways and drawing upon all the other gifts she has besides phenomenal flute-playing.
Although the 3 of us in the BSO flute section are really happy for her, Elizabeth R. leaving the BSO is a tremendous loss, to the orchestra and to the 3 of us in the BSO flute section, where she is simply beloved and so highly respected.
Wow. What a beautiful testimony. That is indeed rare for a section player to speak so lovingly of their section leader in such glowing terms. You and Ms. R are very lucky to have worked together.
Thank you, Elizabeth. None of this is surprising. Having worked with Elizabeth R in Baltimore for several years, what you describe is exactly the kind of leadership I would have expected from her. This is indeed a huge loss for your orchestra, as it was for ours as well.
Beautifully stated, Elizabeth. Thank you.
“Turbulent”? Are you serious? Gender pay disparity is a known problem across all professions. Good for her for standing up for what is right.
As a flutist myself I totally stand with her!!
While I would love nothing more than to never waste another second of my life on this website, I feel obligated to come here to defend Elizabeth from people that like to spout their clearly uninformed opinions.
Elizabeth is, without a doubt, a consumate professional. She is kind, gracious, always prepared, an incredible person, and generally amazing at anything she sets her mind to. That I’ve had the opportunity to play next to her for the last 12 years is one of the great privileges of my life, and the BSO will be lesser for losing her.
There was absolutely nothing “turbulent” about her time here. In fact, while perfection is generally unattainable, she has been as close to a perfect principal player as one can be. She’s one of the best flutists in the world, an excellent ambassador for the BSO, and a wonderful leader and friend to all of us in the section.
I would encourage anyone that has any questions about her tenure in the BSO to refer to the words of her section mates here rather than to click bait headlines.
I wonder how many section leaders are held in such obvious professional AND personal esteem by the rest of their section (all top level artists in their own right!).
Thanks to everyone from the BSO flute section for your wonderful commentary regarding this amazing individual.
As always, Norman Lebrecht writes another purposely misleading, factually incorrect, disrespectful and misogynistic article about someone actually contributing positively to the music world.
“BSO Music Director Andris Nelsons stated on Friday that “Elizabeth Rowe’s exceptional artistry and professionalism are inspirational, and have had my admiration since the very beginning of our time working together at the BSO. I have the highest respect for Elizabeth’s leadership as the BSO’s principal flute. We will greatly miss her and wish Elizabeth all the very best in the next chapter of her career.””