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I think we've made a lot of progress; people have really worked hard to open the door to this profession to young women. [But] I think that it's really important that we are vigilant… so that every woman that ends up on the podium has had the opportunity to really develop her skills, and isn't pushed into it too early. I worry a little bit that the rush to feature women on the podium is a knee-jerk reaction to the #MeToo movement and a desire to be politically correct, as opposed to a real desire to equalise the playing field. I hope I'm proven wrong.

I don’t want [women conductors] to become something that's “fashionable” – because something that's fashionable always goes out of style. I want to see substance of change. I want to be having this conversation five or ten years from now and saying: "That was really a turning point.”

I think the real turning point will come when more women are Music Directors and Principal Conductors: taking the the leading role in making the decisions. When we see that happen, we'll know that we've turned that corner.

Hear more from Marin Alsop on Radio 3’s Afternoon Concert (Friday 8 March from 2pm).

I think the playing field is definitely more even, but there's still quite a lot of work to do. The perception that the conductor is a man is still very much ingrained in management, orchestras and even audiences. [But] we’re in the middle of a change. Things will eventually balance out and the world will be a much nicer place for all conductors.

[For now], I think the industry needs to listen to its young people. People in classical music like to think that they're very open-minded, promoting certain aspects of classical music – especially the “hipper”, “cooler” aspects. They have this vision of what classical music is supposed to be, but they should really listen to the demands of the next generation. We need a wider range of opportunities, better financial support, and [for the industry] to be more open to contemporary music.

Hear more from Stephanie Childress live on Breakfast (Friday 8 March from 6.30am)

It's partly to do with the initiatives that have been happening all over the world, including our Women Conductors workshops. What I wanted to do with these courses is just to alert talented female musicians that they could become conductors. It just doesn’t enter many women's minds that conducting is an option for them. The biggest block is a lack of role models. One of the problems is that when a woman does get a good position, everyone talks about it a lot, which makes people think: "Oh there's loads of women out there". But the reality is, women are still very much a minority.

I certainly think we're going in the direction of equality, but it would be so easy for things to slip back. People need to keep asking the question: “Are there any women out there who could do this?” If it's simply tokenism, then I don't think it's helpful – but sometimes I get a feeling that institutions are saying things like: "We want to get only the very BEST women conductors". My question to them would be: If there's a woman that you might consider, does she have to be better than all of the male conductors in order to get a job?

Hear more from Alice Farnham live on Radio 3's Afternoon Concert (Friday 8 March from 2pm)

When I started studying conducting ten years ago, none of those workshops were available for me. The initiatives that everyone is taking is making the field more nourished. [Women] need not only representation on the podium: we need education, where we can learn in a really safe environment – judgement-free, stereotype-free, [so] it's just about the music.

These two years have been wonderful. Every time I see [Marin], I feel kilometres on from where I was a week before. It's really interesting to have such a strong woman in my life.

Hear more from Lina during Radio 3’s Afternoon Concert (Friday 8 March from 2pm)

There are so many issues that could potentially prevent a woman from stepping forward to explore conducting – whether it's confidence, or feeling that her voice doesn't matter; whether it's actually having had the same musical training that her male peers have had, or just being brave! We're all still learning how to sort out these smaller issues.

But how people are mentored can be a huge factor in them getting onto the podium. Oftentimes, that mentorship happens early on: a student conductor approaches an older conductor and says: "Can I have a drink with you, so we can talk about the field?" If they're both men, that’s very different to how it would be if a young female conductor were to walk up to the older man saying: "Can I take you for a drink so we can talk about conducting?" [For women], getting a mentor or ally on your side early on can be difficult.

People are starting to change what they can change within their systems. Hopefully, that means the bigger system will get healthier – for woman and for men, and for orchestras. Because this is not only about women, it's about the system. You need the system to work in a way that identifies pure musicianship and pure talent and move that forward. Because frankly, at the end of the day, we're in the business of curating culture.

Hear more from Karin Hendrickson live on Radio 3’s In Tune (Friday 8 March from 5pm)

"If you were a man, I'd take you on in a second" was their actual phrase. Several other managers told me it was tough to sell a female conductor, especially in Europe. Even now, there are places that still won't have females on the podium.

When I first moved to the UK in 1999, there was a wave of interest in female conductors. But nothing positively was done, and it all went away again until the Proms in 2013 [when Marin Alsop was the first woman ever to conduct the Last Night of the Proms]. There are lots of organisations now that are looking to feature women conductors. It’s great. Nobody wants to get anything because they're a woman, but if the opportunities are created, then young women will be more motivated to work towards them – whereas before, they might not even have thought of it. So I see it as much more of an open door.

It's wonderful what’s happening now, but it needs to be built upon and maintained. It’s going to require a continued effort on the parts of organisations, orchestras and managers; we have to continually reinvent and remind people to make sure those opportunities are still there. For me, the real pinnacle of change will be when there's a woman conducting the New Year's Concert [in Vienna]. That’s when we can all say: “Yes, we've made it.”

Hear more from Rebecca Miller live on Radio 3's Essential Classics (Friday 8 March from 9am)

A couple of generations ago, there was just one kind of conductor, men – but the “women conductor” box is still limiting. I think Radio 3 is opening up this box; trying to show that there is not just one type of woman conductor. There are so many different personalities, so many different approaches, so many different pasts and hopes and characters.

To see a woman conducting can be inspiring; it is essential. But don't call someone just because they're a woman conductor. Hire someone because they are a good conductor! So many times, I do interviews and the first or last question is: "How do you feel, being a woman conductor?" I wish that we could arrive at a moment where this is no longer a question – where the only question is: "What do you think about this piece, Maestro?"

Hear Valentina Peleggi perform and speak live from Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff, during Radio 3 in Concert (Friday 8 March from 7.30pm)

Getting into these roles can be very networky, as it is in the classical world. I like real ale and often go for a drink after a performance: that can be a very male environment. But if you're a woman who has a child, you may well be expected to go home.

I think what a lot of women need is to feel that they can do the job. We need to give people formal training and a chance to grow, rather than slinging someone in a pit or asking them if they'd like to have a go. Young women aren’t allowed to screw up and then come back, whereas there are lots of men who are allowed to kick around the business until they've got the experience to be competent. So, while the world is changing, let’s give women access to real skills so they can say with confidence: “I can do this. Give me the job.”

I took part in an RPS Women’s Conducting course. It was really hard, but really wonderful: an exploration of how to get the best out of a group of people with your interpretations. If you get it wrong, it feels incredibly lonely – but when it works, it's just the most amazing feeling. It has meant that I've felt more eligible to put myself forward.

Hear more from Yshani Perinpanayagam just after Radio 3 in Concert (Friday 8 March from 7.30pm)