News and music to start your week!

In honor of Mother’s Day, WQXR has a series of conversations with women composers about motherhood.  Hear from Sarah Kirkland Snider, Valerie Coleman, and Marilyn Shrude here.

Classical FM has a brief history of women gaining entry to professional orchestras.  Read on here.

Congratulations to conductor Karina Canellakis who, at just 36 years old, was just named the next chief conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra.  Read more at The New York Times.

The New York Times also has a great piece about OrchKids – the free after-school program begun by Marin Alsop and The Baltimore Symphony 10 years ago to bring opportunity and music education to underserved children.  The program has grown from 30 students to over 1,300, with alums of the program going on to achieve great things.  Don’t miss the article, and amazing photos here.

Missy Mazzoli is interviewed by Ricky O’Bannon at 21CM about the current state of contemporary American opera – and where the genre may be going.  Read more about DIY Opera Composers here.