The Score | Focus on Women in Dallas

In November, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra hosted its second Women in Classical Music Symposium, designed to advance career paths for women in the field. Unlike the inaugural event in Dallas in 2019, this year’s four-day event was a hybrid of in-person and virtual options. Panel discussions focused on women composers, performers, and administrators, with sessions including “Breaking Barriers—Women in Classical Music,” “Motherhood and Music—Women as Caregivers,” and “Music and Wellness.” A speed-dating-style event offered networking and mentorship—this time with masks. Violinist Hilary Hahn received an Award of Excellence, composer Katherine Balch was given a Career Advancement Award, and Deborah Borda, president and CEO of the New York Philharmonic, was recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Among performances was a DSO program led by Marin Alsop and featuring Hilary Hahn, with works including Magnus Lindberg’s Absence (Abwesenheit—L’Absence), Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5, Jessie Montgomery’s Strum, and Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 1 (“Classical”).