Female Supremacy Articles - Page 23

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"That will change once this generation hits the center of their careers," said Alan Fletcher, president and chief executive officer of the Aspen Music Festival and School. "It's still more men that jump to mind as major stars in the age range 40 to 60, but in 10 or 15 years, that's not going to be true."

Heading this new crop of violinists in their teens and 20s is Hilary Hahn, 27, who some experts in the field believe has the talent, intelligence and imagination to attain a status in the classical world akin to that of celebrated cellist Yo-Yo Ma.

Other fast-rising stars, who already have built sizable discographies and performed in major concert houses, include Nicola Benedetti, 19; Julia Fischer, 23; Janine Jansen, 29; Leila Josefowicz, 29, and Jennifer Koh, 29.

So dominant are these female soloists that Fletcher said he could not name even a fifth as many emerging male violinists in the same age range.

No one is exactly sure what is behind this new burst of female talent, but most observers see it paralleling the strides women have made in all facets of life.

"We're probably just reaping the benefits of the changing society," said violinist YuMi Hwang-Williams, concertmaster of the Colorado Symphony. "The old-boys club, so to speak, of classical music and that image is fallen with this sort of new age."