Culture warrior: Alma Shaikimova calls for equality for women in music!

Culture warrior: Alma Shaikimova calls for equality for women in music!

Alma Shaikimova, a 33-year-old musician, is at the center of the discussion about gender equality in the music and cultural scene. She has built a successful career that began with playing the piano at the age of five. At seven, she was accepted into the famous Kulyash Baiseitova music school in Kazakhstan. Her journey took her to Italy at the age of 18, where she completed her piano studies at the Arrigo Boito Conservatory in Parma with Magna Cum Laude. She then earned a Master of Arts in “Piano Accompaniment” at the Teatro alla Scala Academy in Milan.

After many years as a solo recitalist at various European institutions, Shaikimova recognized the underrepresentation of women in leadership positions in the arts and culture scene. “She is currently enrolled in the second semester of an English-language master’s program in Arts and Cultural Management at the Leuphana Professional School and lives with her husband near Frankfurt, where she works as a music teacher,” reports leuphana.de. Language skills are also essential for them; While she speaks Russian, Italian and German, she prefers English as a key to the cultural scene.

Emancipation and visibility

Shaikimova has started her own podcast called “The Art She Manages,” which aims to make women managers more visible in the culture and encourage other women. Her first conversation partner was Annette Weber-Hussain, the director of the Zurich Opera House. In parallel to her commitment, she leads an important discourse about the challenges that women face in the cultural sector.

The issues Shaikimova raises are part of a larger problem. According to that Women's Culture Office NRW Gender equality in classical music is still inadequate. The proportion of women in senior positions at top orchestras is only 21.9%. This highlights the structural challenges that women and non-binary people in the music industry have to overcome.

Structural disadvantage and initiatives

In addition, in a research the MaLisa Foundation It is clear that there has been little improvement in gender distribution since 2010. Over 85% of the music in the German weekly charts was composed by men. Female visibility also remains low on festival stages, with an average of just 16% of performances in 2019.

Alma Shaikimova is supported by a Germany scholarship from the Leuphana Alumni Association. Her efforts to encourage girls to become music educators reflect a desire to break down the structural barriers in the cultural sector. It is important to question patriarchal structures and give emancipation a place in the creative landscape.

In the context of gender equality in classical music, Frauke Meyer's book calls for a ruthless self-analysis of the existing structures. The 2021 panel of experts pointed out the need for mentoring programs and gender-sensitive communication to bring about real change.

Alma Shaikimova is determined to face these challenges and is committed to ensuring that the voices of female managers and artists are no longer ignored in a heavily male-dominated industry. By deepening her practical knowledge in cultural management, she aims to motivate and empower future generations.