My next blog post in the series of women’s orchestras highlights The Cleveland Women’s Orchestra (CWO). Founded in 1935, it is the oldest women’s orchestra still active today. Similarly to the Women’s Symphony Orchestra of Chicago, it was formed during the first rise of women’s orchestras, when opportunities for female musicians were sparse. CWO was founded by Cleveland Orchestra member and violin teacher Hyman Schandler. He had many talented female students and wanted to create opportunities for them to play post school. From the initial audition notices he brought together 80 women of all ages and occupations, and in 1936 they played their debut concert at Severance Hall.
CWO had several main goals: to provide talented women musicians with performance opportunities; to showcase gifted young soloists; to join forces with other organizations, such as schools and hospitals, to perform special-event programmes; to develop and perpetuate a series of free Gift of Music outreach concerts; and to return each Spring to Severance Hall for an Annual Concert. Through these goals, associate conductor of Cleveland Orchestra, Rudolph Ringwall, claimed CWO were “filling a need that Cleveland has felt for a very long time”. Even after the fall of many similar organisations around the mid-1900s, CWO continued, “determined to maintain a consistent outlet for rising classical female musicians, and weave themselves into the city’s history”.
Hyman Schandler conducted the orchestra for 55 years until his death, at the age of 90, in 1990. He was succeeded by Robert L. Cronquist (1990-2018), John Thomas Dodson (2018-2022), Dr Jungho Kim (2022) and current music director Eric Benjamin (2023-present). Throughout these stewardships the orchestra continued to expand and perform an extensive repertoire of over 1,000 symphonic works, ballets, oratorios and staged operas.
CWO first received mixed reviews from the press, including some gender discriminatory comments such as “these women have some very precious qualities which should be preserved at all costs…[yet] in the exalted society of Brahms and Beethoven they cannot afford to be too ladylike”. However, more recently they have received excellent reviews, particularly for their (male) conductor and (often male) soloists.
Despite being the longest running women’s orchestra in the world, CWO mostly perform works by dead, white, male composers, and during their 88-year history have not employed a single female music director or conductor. Additionally, despite claiming to remain a “women-only organization”, some men “sit in if a piece needs a specific instrument covered”, and many men have featured as soloists. Concert manager and violinist Joan Ferst believes that “the group’s commitment to community service and collaboration transcends gender and socioeconomic status…We’re serving the community in a different way…and that, to a large degree, has sustained the orchestra”.
As such, while CWO’s gender commitments may not be up to date, they have historically provided useful opportunities for female musicians and have sustained their support for communities for 88 years.
If you’re enjoying these blogs please feel free to get in touch to ask more about women’s orchestras or request my full dissertation to read.
References:
Elwell, Herbert (1936). ‘Women Score in Orchestra Debut’, The Plain Dealer. Available at: http://www.clevelandwomensorchestra.dreamhosters.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Severance_Debut_Review.jpg (Accessed: 15th August 2023).
McLaughlin, Kevin (2023). ‘Cleveland Women’s Orchestra shines in music by White, Sibelius & Dvořák’, Cleveland Classical. Available at: https://clevelandclassical.com/cleveland-womens-orchestra-shines-in-music-by-white-sibelius-dvorak-apr-30/ (Accessed: 15th August 2023).
The Cleveland Press (1949). ‘Women’s Orchestra, 14 Years Old, Has Top Place in City’s Cultural Life’, The Cleveland Press. Available at: http://www.clevelandwomensorchestra.dreamhosters.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Press_1949.jpg. (Accessed: 15th August 2023).
The Cleveland Women’s Orchestra (no date). [Facebook]. Available at: https://www.facebook.com/ClevelandWomensOrch/ (Accessed: 15th August 2023).
The Cleveland Women’s Orchestra (no date). 2022-2023 Concert Season. Available at: http://www.clevelandwomensorchestra.org/concert-season/ (Accessed: 14th August 2023).
The Cleveland Women’s Orchestra (no date). Audition and Contact. Available at: http://www.clevelandwomensorchestra.org/audition/ (Accessed: 15th August 2023).
The Cleveland Women’s Orchestra (no date). Endowment. Available at: http://www.clevelandwomensorchestra.org/endowment/ (Accessed: 14th August 2023).
The Cleveland Women’s Orchestra (no date). History and Founder. Available at: http://www.clevelandwomensorchestra.org/history-and-archive/ (Accessed: 22nd June 2023).
The Cleveland Women’s Orchestra (no date). Home. Available at: http://www.clevelandwomensorchestra.org/ (Accessed: 14th August 2023).
The Cleveland Women’s Orchestra (no date). Photo Gallery. Available at: http://www.clevelandwomensorchestra.org/photo-gallery/ (Accessed: 14th August 2023).
Zaleski, Annie (2020). ‘Cleveland Women’s Orchestra Celebrates 85 Years’, Cleveland Magazine. Available at: https://clevelandmagazine.com/entertainment/music/articles/cleveland-women's-orchestra-celebrates-85-years (Accessed: 15th August 2023).
Yorumlar