Serendipity and Pseudoserendipity in Career Paths of Successful Women: Orchestra Conductors

Abstract

Chance affects careers, and being prepared is of essence. This article draws attention to the silence in the creativity literature on the impact of positive chance events in careers of successful women in the traditional male field of orchestra conducting. Typical serendipity and pseudoserendipity patterns in this domain of the performing arts are underscored and illustrated with case histories of some prominent women visible in the media. The social context of the field is also discussed with additional examples, and avenues for future research are suggested. Public data support empirical results on serendipity in women's careers in many fields.