I've been away on tour with the LPO in sunnier climes, but in the intervening time a piece of mine came out in the Independent. The day of the woman conductor is nigh! Bring on Herbertina von Karajan and Georgina Solti! The change is happening, and it is happening faster than ever before...not that that is saying much, of course.

Several woman-conductor friends have written to me expressing ennui that we have to go over this ground yet again, but the sad truth is that we do: yes, of course it is the music-making that matters, but there's nothing remotely resembling equality of opportunity out there. When the musical results are good, there's nothing to stop maestra's success; but she has to get on to a podium first.