34th Annual Student Research Conference
Perceptions of Masculinity and Femininity In Successful Conductors
Kendall Johnson♦
Dr. Curran Prendergast, Faculty Mentor
The percentage of female professional musicians has steadily increased over the past several decades, however, one field which still has yet to break the gender barrier is that of professional conductors. There are a variety of reasons which may contribute to this, one of which being that the qualities which are traditionally associated with successful conductors, such as leadership, strength, and control, are also predominantly associated with masculinity. The objective of this research proposal is to examine the relationship between existing qualities of successful conductors and qualities traditionally associated with masculinity and femininity, and how those qualities impact the expectations placed on female conductors. This research project will use qualitative and quantitative data collection methods to identify qualities and characteristics of undergraduate conductors and determine how those qualities impact their effectiveness as conductors. It is expected that students displaying more of the masculine characteristics will be perceived as better conductors.
Keywords: Conductor, Conducting, Qualities, Masculinity, Femininity, Female, Musician
Topic(s):Music
Women's and Gender Studies
Presentation Type: Asynchronous Virtual Oral Presentation
Session: 15-8
Location: https://flipgrid.com/899114aa
Time: 0:00