American orchestras have recast their programming following two years of COVID chaos, playing far more music by female composers and composers of colour, and works by living composers.

A new report from the Institute for Composer Diversity, produced in partnership with the League of American Orchestras and based on data from hundreds of orchestras across the United States, found that compositions by women and people of colour made up almost one quarter (23 percent) of pieces programmed by orchestras in the 2021-22 season, up from just five percent in 2015. There is a similar percentage of works by living composers, up from 12 percent in 2015 to 22 percent now.

The 2022 Orchestra Repertoire Report by the the Institute for Composer Diversity.

These figures are in stark contrast to programming by Australian orchestras, who have been criticised in recent years for conservative and unrepresentative programming. Ian Whitney, a regular Limelight contributor, found that for 2020 – before COVID forced the cancellation of so many concerts – Australian orchestras only had between one and six percent of their advertised programs comprising works by Australian composers, save the Adelaide Symphony...