The two musician sisters Julie and Camille Berthollet, guests of Anne Roumanoff, explain the problems of sexism and sexual assault that plague the world of classical music.

They hope to be able to change the situation for the younger generation of artists to come.

INTERVIEW

They called a few months ago for a "Classical Music MeToo".

The musicians Julie and Camille Berthollet return to the microphone of Anne Roumanoff on sexual violence in this environment.

According to them, the awareness is real, even if they regret that it comes "too slowly and too late".

"It's changing", observes Julie Berthollet, who reminds that this question remains relevant.

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A "public notoriety" problem

Julie Berthollet does not understand that some are surprised that the world of classical music is concerned by gender and sexual violence.

"As soon as someone goes to denounce in an environment, we will say 'Ah but in this environment too!' Obviously there too, it takes place everywhere," she supports.

"In the world of classical music, there is a very important history, a lot of traditions, but there are also things that have to move."

For Camille Berthollet, these problems have long been "of public notoriety in the community".

She explains that everyone knew and nobody said anything, forcing the students to alert each other to teachers with whom they had to avoid being alone. 

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Protect the following generations

The two sisters gave several master classes in which they broached the subject, especially with the youngest.

“When you see the 10-15 year old generation, you feel a bit like big sisters,” says Julie Berthollet.

"We want to protect them, that they know how to say no and that the teachers are respectful."

"We especially want to prevent what happened in the past from happening to the following generations", summarizes Julie Berthollet, aware that time cannot be caught up.

"For the previous generation, there's not much you can do except see, And hopefully do justice."

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"As soon as there is power, there can be excesses"

The youngest recalls that the problems raised by the MeToo movement in classical music are not limited to a "teacher-student girl" situation.

"We talk very little about the boys who had these problems, too," regrets the violist, who adds that some conductors are targeted by accusations.

"We must take the subject as a whole and above all educate so that this does not happen again."

The musician's analysis of these abuses can in fact be applied well beyond the world of music.

"It's always the problem of hierarchy," she observes.

"As soon as there is power, this is where there can be excesses."

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"There is still a lot of things to do for equality", summarizes Julie Berthollet.

"In France, conductors are in about 96% of cases men. The orchestras are still overwhelmingly white," she recalls.

But the musician seems optimistic for the future.

"There is still a lot to do. But things are moving nicely."