The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra broke a gender barrier when it appointed Marin Alsop to be its next music director. “But management made another bit of history, this one unfortunate, because it hired Alsop over the unusually public objections of its own musicians. By brushing aside the opinion of its artists on the most important artistic decision an orchestra can make, management runs the risk of setting her up for failure. The move has likely stunted the growth of Alsop’s nascent rapport with the musicians, and has alerted listeners to a possibly troubled relationship – two things no orchestra ever wants to do, unless it is acting out of desperation.”