Article January 1, 2001 Issue

Tamara Brooks,

Orchestra and choir conductor

with contributions from Tamara Brooks—Boston, MA

As a child, when I was playing the piano or the violin, I didn't think of myself as a girl. I only saw myself as a joyful musician.

I loved the sounds of the orchestra so much that I've wanted to conduct as long as I can remember. I don't think I ever saw a woman conductor, but somehow, in my imagination, I thought it would be wonderful to be one. I didn't think it was unusual at all. But other people were astonished that I wanted to do such a thing with my life.

I was fortunate to live in a country where there was no barrier to my study of conducting. If I did well in exams, if I was musical, if I was on fire about what I was doing — the professors in the conservatories were delighted to teach me.