Bachtrack has published statistics based on the 30,774 concert, opera and dance performances listed on Bachtrack in 2024. The report says: « Women conductors continue to make their presence felt, but progress is slow. In the top 10, Joana Mallwitz, Nathalie Stutzmann, Kristiina Poska and Marie Jacquot, who each hold titled positions at their respective organisations, all increased their number of engagements by over 80%.
Three young conductors aged 30 or under, Stephanie Childress, Nil Venditti and Ana María Pantiño-Osorio, each more than doubled their number of engagements since 2023. 13% of all concerts listed in our database were conducted by women, up from 11% in 2023. (…) Caroline Shaw was 2024’s most performed living woman composer (fourth overall, behind John Williams, Arvo Pärt and Philip Glass). The age of living composers is worth noting. Three of the top 20 living composers are over 90. Lili Boulanger was the most performed woman composer overall, closely followed by Clara Schumann.
Overall, the programming of contemporary music continues to increase. 13% of all works programmed are written by living composers – increasing from just 6% in 2013. (…) Contemporary programming is strongest in the United States (18%) and Sweden (19%). »
Otherwise Backtrack saw that there was a ‘halo effect’ for Czech composers, with Smetana’s anniversary coinciding with the Year of Czech Music, attracting significant country-wide support. « This meant that Dvorak’s Ninth Symphony ‘From the New World’ was the most performed concert work for the first time. Dvorak himself climbed from 16th to 10th most performed concert composer. »
In the 2024 edition, Backtrack congratulates the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, which tops the busiest orchestra list for the first time, leaping 10 places since 2023. Klaus Mäkelä was the busiest conductor of 2024, just pipping Andris Nelsons, who has held the top spot several times over the last decade, by one appearance. The busiest concert soloists were Augustin Hadelich (violin), Sheku Kanneh-Mason (cello) and Daniil Trifonov (piano) – no changes from last year, except Daniil Trifonov who has finally, after nearly 10 years, regained the no 1 spot. »
