FROM KITCHEN TO CARNEGIE HALL Ethel Stark and the Montreal Womens Symphony Orchestra

Narrator Allegra Fulton's mature, confident voice works well for this historical look at female musicians in professional orchestras. In a fluid, engaging way, she presents the details, personal histories, and rules that once kept women from playing "masculine instruments." Those who are interested in the gender history of musical performance will immerse themselves in this well-researched account of the obstacles and challenges overcome by the first all-female orchestra, which was formed in 1940 in Montreal. A focus is Ethel Stark, its cofounder and conductor. Fulton is up to the task of presenting these pioneering women to listeners who may be hearing these narratives for the first time. M.R. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2020]