Karen Ní Bhroin Leads the Way with the #PurpleBaton in March
In March, celebrated as Women’s History Month, conductor Karen Ní Bhroin has joined the #PurpleBaton campaign led by renowned conductor Marin Alsop. The initiative highlights the importance of representation in leadership roles and calls for more women on the podium and continues to champion gender equality in classical music.
A Celebratory Start in Birmingham
Ní Bhroin’s #PurpleBaton month launched in spectacular fashion when she conducted the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Symphony Orchestra with her purple baton. The performance featured a programme honouring female composers, including:
Mel Bonis – Trois femmes de légende
Ravel – Piano Concerto in D for Left Hand with RBS student Salomé Chitaia as soloist
Meyer (arr. Berlioz) – Marche Marocaine (UK premiere)
Satie (orch. Debussy) – Gymnopédie No.2
Ravel – La valse
Inspiring the Next Generation
Ní Bhroin’s March engagements extended beyond the concert stage, when she began her position as Female Artist in Residence at Mozarteum University Salzburg. Collaborating with professors Martin Fuchsberger and Alexander Drčar, she mentors students, reinforcing the significance of female leadership in conducting.
She also joined Marin Alsop at the Music Conservatory of Westchester in New York for an International Women’s Day masterclass. The Rising Stars NYC session provided young musicians with the opportunity to learn from leading women conductors, furthering the mission of #PurpleBaton.
Returning to a Barbican Hall filled with eager young listeners, she conducted three concerts with the LSO for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 3 students. These performances introduced primary and secondary school children to orchestral music in an engaging and interactive way, fostering a love for classical music from an early age.
A Milestone Debut with Welsh National Opera
Ní Bhroin made her debut at Welsh National Opera, conducting Play Opera Live – a production created by Tom Redmond, directed by Caroline Clegg and brought to life by Erin Rossington, Beca Davies, and Rhys Meilyr alongside a full orchestra and chorus.
Advancing the #PurpleBaton Movement
Throughout Women’s History Month, Ní Bhroin, alongside fellow conductors worldwide, has proudly conducted with the Purple Baton, reinforcing the call for greater representation of women in leadership roles in classical music. As she continues her work, her efforts remain a vital part of the movement to create lasting change.