Beyond the Grace Note

‘Beyond The Grace Note’ looks at the struggles and problems that many of the most famous female conductors in the world have had to face pursuing their chosen profession. The job itself is demanding enough but there are extra hurdles that women have to face. A man can be decisive but a woman is seen as bossy or overbearing. A man commands authority but a woman has to earn it. Her voice sounds too high to be taken seriously. Her gestures are not firm enough for many musicians. And of course she cannot possibly tackle the more masculine classical repertoire like Beethoven or Verdi or Wagner or Rachmaninov. She should really be satisfied with lighter composers like Ravel or Chopin or at a pinch Mozart.

Marin Alsop, Mirga Grazinte-Tyla, Xian Zhang, Jane Glover, Joana Carneiro, Sian Edwards and other conductors share their own paths to the podium. Made over the course of a few years the film has unique and privileged access to these remarkable and resilient musicians. It also offers a valuable insight into what a conductor actually does and how a conductor hears the music in front of her.