Cate Blanchett

I've been trying to get more women on the podium for years. The actor's star turn in her new film Tár is a huge help.

[Eimear Noone](https://www.theguardian.com/games/2019/oct/22/mozart-video-game-music-composer-eimear-noone) who was the first woman to conduct at the Oscars. She is seeking the next generation of Irish girls and boys to follow in the footsteps of fellow Galway girl [Todd Field’s film ](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jan/11/tar-review-cate-blanchett-is-perfect-lead-in-delirious-sensual-drama) [Tár](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/jan/11/tar-review-cate-blanchett-is-perfect-lead-in-delirious-sensual-drama) about a female conductor is the toast of Hollywood, anchored by Cate Blanchett’s firebrand performance. [Glover-Edwards Conducting Programme](https://www.ram.ac.uk/study/departments/conducting/glover-edwards) at the Royal Academy of Music. I’ve been working full-time as a conductor of professional orchestras and opera companies for years and have yet to hold one of these positions. The film is a glinting prism in which everyone will see different things. Just as there are no quick fixes to becoming a conductor (it takes years of training and development), nor can one expect to change statistics overnight. But progress is slow, and this is no surprise to me. For many this has been the catalyst they needed to embark on further training and a career. Although Sian won in 1984, it was so unusual to see a woman selected, they made mention of it in the opening address. There was a smattering of female role models: Sian Edwards and Jane Glover were enjoying careers, and among my peer group, Sarah Ioannides beat the men hands down in a competition to conduct the Oxford Philharmonia. The film star Cate Blanchett has just arrived at the launch party for my book about conducting.