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The Representation of Women in 

European and American Orchestras

Update 2009

 

In November 2005, Regina Himmelbauer surveyed the male/female ratios in 35 major orchestras in Europe and the USA.  In December 2009, another author (who wishes to remain anonymous) re-surveyed the orchestras as part of her work for an academic degree.   In the three tables below, she shows the changes in the representation of women that occurred between 2005 and 2009.  She has done excellent work.  I hope that someday her name can be included here.  She and her professors are to be commended.

See also her survey of 20 top orchestras in the United Kingdom.

 

 

 

  • Table 1 shows the changes in the percentages of women in the 35 orchestras over the last four years.  

  • The average increase was 2.86 percent (as shown in Table 1.)  

  • Bold numbers indicate an exponential growth in the percentage of women players (i.e. more than the average increase of 2.86%.)

  • Red indicates a decrease. 

  • The orchestras are listed according to their 2009 ranking, with the old ranking included next to it.

    (+ = an increase, - = a decrease, and blank = no change.) 

 

 

Table 1. Orchestra % women in 2005 % women in 2009 new position position in 2005 position change  percentage increase/ decrease
New York Philharmonic Orchestra  40,59%  48.91% 35 34 + 8.32%
Orchester der Oper Zürich  38,79%  45.22% 34 33 + 6.43%
Orchestre national d'ile de France 42,86%  43.62% 33 35 + 0.76%
Brucknerorchester Linz  35,96%  39.83% 32 31 + 3.87%
Gürzenich Orchester (Köln)  28,23%  37.50% 31 18 + 9.27%
Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg  30,00%  37.21% 30 22 + 7.21%
Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra  37,76%  36.26% 29 32 - -1.50%
Concertgebouworkest  28,95%  35.04% 28 20 + 6.09%
Oslo Filharmonien  32,04%  34.95% 27 26 + 2.91%
Staatsorchester Stuttgart  32,80%  34.65% 26 28 + 1.85%
Chicago Symphony Orchestra  27,88%  34.34% 25 17 + 6.46%
Birmingham Symphony Orchestra  29,49%  33.77% 24 21 + 4.28%
Atlanta Symphony 34,69% 33.33% 23 30 - -1.36%
Orchester der Komischen Oper Berlin  32,74%  33.33% 22 27 + 0.59%
Radio Symphonieorchester Wien  32,98%  31.52% 21 29 - -1.46%
Cleveland Symphony Orchestra  30,93%  31.31% 20 23 + 0.38%
Tonkünstler-Orchester Niederösterreich  31,00%  31.11% 19 24 + 0.11%
The Philadelphia Orchestra  26,73% 31.07% 18 15 + 4.34%
Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg  25,61%  29.63% 17 14 + 4.02%
Orchester der Volksoper Wien  31,18% 29.35% 16 25 - -1.83%
Münchner Philharmoniker  23,42%  28.95% 15 9 + 5.53%
Grazer Philharmonisches Orchester  25,00%  28.41% 14 13 + 3.41%
London Symphony Orchestra  26,80% 28.42% 13 16 + 1.62%
Bayerisches Staatsorchester  25,00%  27.56% 12 12   2.56%
Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin  20,97%  27.50% 11 7 + 6.53%
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig  24,42%  27.43% 10 10   3.01%
Boston Symphony Orchestra  28,72%  26.14% 9 19 - -2.58%
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks  21,15%  24.04% 8 8   2.89%
Dresdner Philharmonie  24,77%  23.58% 7 11 - -1.19%
Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden  15,69%  21.23% 6 6   5.54%
Berliner Philharmoniker  13,01%  13.82% 5 5   0.81%
Wiener Symphoniker  9,45%  13.39% 4 4   3.94%
Ceská filharmonie  8,33%  12.40% 3 3   4.07%
Orchester der Staatsoper Wien  3,52%  5.48% 2 2   1.96%
Wiener Philharmoniker  0,83%  2.42% 1 1   1.59%
Average increase (in percentage)           2.86%

 

 

 

In four years the overall increase in women has been 3.91%, as shown in table 2.

 

Table 2.

Orchestra (with 2005 ranking number)

  Women % in 2005

 Women 

% in 2009

Orchestre national d'ile de France  35 42,86%  43.62%
New York Philharmonic Orchestra 34 40,59%  48.91%
Orchester der Oper Zürich 33 38,79%  45.22%
Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra 32 37,76%  36.26%
Brucknerorchester Linz 31 35,96%  39.83%
Atlanta Symphony 30 34,69% 33.33%
Radio Symphonieorchester Wien 29 32,98%  31.52%
Staatsorchester Stuttgart 28 32,80%  34.65%
Orchester der Komischen Oper Berlin 27 32,74%  33.33%
Oslo Filharmonien 26 32,04%  34.95%
Orchester der Volksoper Wien 25 31,18% 29.35%
Tonkünstler-Orchester Niederösterreich 24 31,00%  31.11%
Cleveland Symphony Orchestra 23 30,93%  31.31%
Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg 22 30,00%  37.21%
Birmingham Symphony Orchestra 21 29,49%  33.77%
Concertgebouworkest 20 28,95%  35.04%
Boston Symphony Orchestra 19 28,72%  26.14%
Gürzenich Orchester (Köln) 18 28,23%  37.50%
Chicago Symphony Orchestra 17 27,88%  34.34%
London Symphony Orchestra 16 26,80% 28.42%
The Philadelphia Orchestra 15 26,73% 31.07%
Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg 14 25,61%  29.63%
Grazer Philharmonisches Orchester 13 25,00%  28.41%
Bayerisches Staatsorchester 12 25,00%  27.56%
Dresdner Philharmonie 11 24,77%  23.58%
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig 10 24,42%  27.43%
Münchner Philharmoniker 9 23,42%  28.95%
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks 8 21,15%  24.04%
Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin 7 20,97%  27.50%
Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden 6 15,69%  21.23%
Berliner Philharmoniker 5 13,01%  13.82%
Wiener Symphoniker 4 9,45%  13.39%
Ceská filharmonie 3 8,33%  12.40%
Orchester der Staatsoper Wien 2 3,52%  5.48%
Wiener Philharmoniker 1 0,83%  2.42%
Average number of women in orchestras 26.09% 30.00%

 

 

 

 

Table 3 includes the number of men and women players.

 

Table 3.

Data in chronological order 

as per 2005 survey

Data as of 

November 23, 2005 

Data as of 

December 29, 2009

Orchestras (ordered in % of women according to the first survey) Total players  Men  Women  Total players Men 

Women 

Orchestre national d'ile de France  91 57,14%  42,86%  94 56.38% 43.62%
New York Philharmonic Orchestra  101 59,41%  40,59%  92 51.09% 48.91%
Orchester der Oper Zürich  116 61,21%  38,79%  115 54.78% 45.22%
Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra  98 62,24%  37,76%  91 63.74% 36.26%
Brucknerorchester Linz  114 64,04%  35,96%  118 60.17% 39.83%
Atlanta Symphony 98 65,31% 34,69% 93 66.66% 33.33%
Radio Symphonieorchester Wien  94 67,02%  32,98%  92 68.48% 31.52%
Staatsorchester Stuttgart  125 67,20%  32,80%  127 65.35% 34.65%
Orchester der Komischen Oper Berlin  113 67,26%  32,74%  105 66.66% 33.33%
Oslo Filharmonien  103 67,96%  32,04%  103 65.05% 34.95%
Orchester der Volksoper Wien  93 68,82% 31,18% 92 70.65% 29.35%
Tonkünstler-Orchester Niederösterreich  100 69,00%  31,00%  90 68.89% 31.11%
Cleveland Symphony Orchestra  97 69,07%  30,93%  99 68.69% 31.31%
Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Hamburg  120 70,00%  30,00%  129 62.78% 37.21%
Birmingham Symphony Orchestra  78 70,51%  29,49%  77 66.23% 33.77%
Concertgebouworkest  114 71,05%  28,95%  117 64.96% 35.04%
Boston Symphony Orchestra  94 71,28%  28,72%  88 73.86% 26.14%
Gürzenich Orchester (Köln)  124 71,77%  28,23%  120 62.50% 37.50%
Chicago Symphony Orchestra  104 72,12%  27,88%  99 65.66% 34.34%
London Symphony Orchestra  97 73,20% 26,80% 95 71.58% 28.42%
The Philadelphia Orchestra  101 73,27%  26,73% 103 68.93% 31.07%
Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg  82 74,39%  25,61%  81 70.37% 29.63%
Grazer Philharmonisches Orchester  88 75,00%  25,00%  88 71.59% 28.41%
Bayerisches Staatsorchester  124 75,00%  25,00%  127 72.44% 27.56%
Dresdner Philharmonie  109 75,23%  24,77%  106 76.42% 23.58%
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig  172 75,58%  24,42%  175 72.57% 27.43%
Münchner Philharmoniker  111 76,58%  23,42%  114 71.05% 28.95%
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks  104 78,85%  21,15%  104 75.96% 24.04%
Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin  124 79,03%  20,97%  120 72.50% 27.50%
Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden  153 84,31%  15,69%  146 78.77% 21.23%
Berliner Philharmoniker  123 86,99%  13,01%  123 86.18% 13.82%
Wiener Symphoniker  127 90,55%  9,45%  127 86.61% 13.39%
Ceská filharmonie  120 91,67%  8,33%  121 87.60% 12.40%
Orchester der Staatsoper Wien  142 96,48%  3,52%  146 94.52% 5.48%
Wiener Philharmoniker  121 99,17%  0,83%  124 97.58% 2.42%
Averages: 113 73,91%  26,09%  113 69.99% 30.01%

 

 

 

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