Sharing her passion for music on a broad scale
Anna Binneweg has been a trailblazer in making orchestral music accessible to county residents
When it comes to the music scene in Anne Arundel County, Anna Binneweg has been carrying the baton — figuratively and literally —for more than a decade.
Through her work as music director and conductor of Anne Arundel Community College Symphony Orchestra and the Londontowne Symphony Orchestra in Annapolis, the 42-year-old Binneweg has not only been a trailblazer in making orchestral music accessible to county residents, but in solidifying her role among female conductors.
“Dr. Binneweg is one of the most talented, clear, and hard-working and inspiring conductors Iknow,” said Douglas Byerly, former music department chairman and current coordinator of music at the Anne Arundel Community College — who hired Binneweg in 2007.
“That she is a young female conductor is inspiring to students who work with her,” he said. “She is a model for women in our industry.”
A 2014 report by the classical music industry website, Bachtrack, said that of the world’s 150 top conductors, only five were female. Although women professional symphony orchestra conductors remain a rarity, Maryland actually boasts three — in addition to Binneweg, the state has most prominently the first woman conductor of a major U.S. orchestra, Marin Alsop, Baltimore Sym- phony Orchestra’s music director since 2007; and also Elizabeth Schulze, music director and conductor of the Maryland Symphony Orchestra.
And historically, Maryland’s women conductors have also included Gisele Ben-Dor, who served with the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra for six years until spring 1997.
Binneweg said she was never particularly affected by gender barriers as she pursued her own passion formusic. She recalled that See CONDUCTOR, page 4
Through her work as music director and conductor of Anne Arundel Community College Symphony Orchestra and the Londontowne Symphony Orchestra in Annapolis, the 42-year-old Binneweg has not only been a trailblazer in making orchestral music accessible to county residents, but in solidifying her role among female conductors.
“Dr. Binneweg is one of the most talented, clear, and hard-working and inspiring conductors Iknow,” said Douglas Byerly, former music department chairman and current coordinator of music at the Anne Arundel Community College — who hired Binneweg in 2007.
“That she is a young female conductor is inspiring to students who work with her,” he said. “She is a model for women in our industry.”
A 2014 report by the classical music industry website, Bachtrack, said that of the world’s 150 top conductors, only five were female. Although women professional symphony orchestra conductors remain a rarity, Maryland actually boasts three — in addition to Binneweg, the state has most prominently the first woman conductor of a major U.S. orchestra, Marin Alsop, Baltimore Sym- phony Orchestra’s music director since 2007; and also Elizabeth Schulze, music director and conductor of the Maryland Symphony Orchestra.
And historically, Maryland’s women conductors have also included Gisele Ben-Dor, who served with the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra for six years until spring 1997.
Binneweg said she was never particularly affected by gender barriers as she pursued her own passion formusic. She recalled that See CONDUCTOR, page 4
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