New York Philharmonic Considering Allowing Its Female Musicians to Wear Pants On Stage

It has been announced that the New York Philharmonic's senior management team are in discussions to reassess the concert attire dress code of its female musicians

It has been announced this week that the New York Philharmonic's senior management team are in discussions to reassess the concert attire dress code of its female musicians - to potentially allow pant suits to be worn on the concert stage.

The current rule states all female members of the ensemble must wear floor-length black skirts or dresses for all formal evening concerts.

“It’s a little bit strange ... I think we would like to see it changed, and soon ...  and not just changed to allow pants, but to make more of a broad statement of what it means to be dressed,” French hornist Leelanee Sterrett has this week told The New York Times.

"This is not to say we want to wear jeans ... one thing is really clear ... people in the orchestra want to remain dressy and it's important that we look like we care,” violinist Fiona Simon, who has performed as a member of the orchestra since 1985, has said.

“It has been a really good dialogue ... ” Philharmonic President Deborah Borda has said.

PHOTO CREDIT: LINCOLNCENTER.ORG