Gail Archer, director of the music program at Barnard College in New York City and the college organist at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, has published a study on the gender gap in organist positions at major music conservatories. The gender gap also exists, according to the study, at major cathedrals across the United States.
According to Dr. Archer’s research, published in the Journal of the International Alliance of Women in Music, there are no women leading the organ program at any music conservatory in the United States. She also found only two women at cathedrals in major U.S. cities; Seattle and Phoenix. Dr. Archer has founded a website MusForum.org that maintains a database of women organists, publishes an online magazine, and sponsors an annual conference.
Dr. Archer has directed the music program at Barnard College since 1994. She joined the music program at the college in 1988 as director of the Barnard Columbia Chorus. In addition to her academic duties, Dr. Archer performs dozens of concerts each year at venues throughout the world.
Dr. Archer is a graduate of Montclair State University in New Jersey, where she majored in music education. She holds master’s degrees from the University of Hartford in Connecticut and the Mannes School of Music in New York City. Dr. Archer earned a doctorate in organ performance at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City.