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Lost in music: why piano competitions must address the gender gap

All five finalists at the last Leeds piano competition were male – a far from unique competition scenario. Now, the event’s CEO explains how they are dismantling barriers for female musicians

Photograph: Johnny BeanWe took this evidence to a number of leaders in classical music and the competition world, and every conversation opened with a puzzled “really?” Then the gender conjectures began, ranging from differences in resilience, persistence and risk-taking, to societal expectations, hand size, body frames and volume, through to yes, you guessed it, the desire to have a family. Vick Bain’s superb Counting the Music Industry: The Gender Gap shows that individual meritocracy, bias and the absence of diverse role models each cast a dark shadow over our journey towards parity. Through initiatives such as blind pre-selections, minimising biographical details throughout all rounds, unconscious bias training for jurors, and targeted career support for aspiring pianists, we are committed to modelling a more equitable stage.

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