Effects of the social gender roles to the careers classical music composers in Turkey

In this thesis, the discrimination experienced by female composers throughout history is discussed. Also, the effects of the gender roles to the lives of male and female composers are interrogated. The common points between the discrimination in the West and in the Ottoman history and the present situation are investigated. 11 female and 11 male composers and conductors were interviewed to determine the effects of gender roles on their lives. The effects of gender roles in education are examined in terms of how women and men are guided to choose composition as a job. The data collected, placed in the historical background of women's identity and status in Turkey that have been examined together with both male composers' comments on women composers and women composers' comments on their own lives. In this context, the society's perspective on both composition as a profession and the women and men who are engaged in this profession are also discussed. In addition, the effects of gender roles on the composers' own definition of being a composer as an identity in their educational and daily lives are interrogated. The opinions of male and female composers on getting supported and being preferred are studied. Furthermore, the existence of financial differences caused by gender in their professions are questioned based on these composers' own words. In the light of all these data, the Republic's goal of obtaining gender equality and to what extent it achieved this goal in the field of composition has been examined.