In response to accusations of bias in the hiring process, many major symphony orchestras switched to blind auditions during the 1970s and 1980s. These auditions consisted of an instrumentalist performing from behind a screen so that his or her identity was hidden.
A study of the new audition policy conducted by the National Bureau of Economic Research found that acceptance of women players increased by up to 55% after the blind auditions were implemented.
Out of the top five symphony orchestras in the United States, 25% of all players are female. In 1970, less than 5% of those players were women.
Despite an increased acceptance of women into the workforce, labor inequality on the basis of gender still exists. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women working full-time still earn just 77 cents to the dollar compared to men.
