Lim reiterates the importance of programming women composers; Sydney Con introduces a new composition prize for women.

The Sydney Conservatorium of Music’s Liza Lim has called on Australian festival and concert programmers to achieve gender parity in music commissions and performances. One of Australia’s leading composers, Lim made her appeal at the Women in the Creative Arts Conference in Canberra on Friday.

Lim cited four prominent European festivals in new music that have recently committed to an equal gender split in programming over the next five years as a something Australia should be working towards.

“In year 12 and at the beginning of tertiary studies, we see a 50:50 gender split but this dwindles to around 20 to 25 percent participation by women in the industry, and even less for composers,” Lim said.

“Sexism is structural in our society and as a result, so is the magic ingredient that allows an artistic practice to thrive – what we call ‘luck’. For the luck mechanism to kick in, it requires that you’re given a go in the first place. It requires multiple opportunities to try things out, to practice, to fail, to partly succeed and to keep trying.”

Lim explained her concept of...