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In conversation with Professor Dame Jane Glover DBE FRCM HonRAM (Music, 1968)

On Tuesday 18 May 2021 we were honoured and delighted to welcome celebrated conductor and musicologist Professor Dame Jane Glover DBE FRCM HonRAM (Music, 1968) as our distinguished guest for the second in our series of online events to mark 100 years of Oxford degrees for women.

Jane reflected on her time at St Hugh’s and her ground-breaking career in conversation with Professor Roy Westbrook, Senior Tutor, St Hugh’s Music student and aspiring conductor, Lucy Warm, and Alumni Relations Manager, Catharine Rainsberry.

During their fascinating and wide-ranging conversation, Jane shared her memories of her earliest conducting engagements, including a performance in the Mordan Hall at St Hugh’s during her first year at Oxford, and the many opportunities she seized as a student to collaborate with her contemporaries on musical projects, all of which helped to prepare her for her professional career. She also gave an insight into the challenges she faced setting out as a woman conductor in a very male-dominated sphere, and reflected on encouraging developments in the industry in recent years which have seen “wonderful women [conductors] getting really great positions…it’s so exciting to see how women are finally being recognised”.

Lucy, who interviewed Jane, said:

“As someone who aspires to follow in Jane’s footsteps and embark on a professional career in conducting, it was an absolute honour to have the opportunity to interview Jane, to learn from her incredible experience, and to hear her advice for those hoping to enter the industry now.”

Watch the full recording: