Dartington Music School has stirred up a hornets nest among the usually sedate world of classical music, by banning men from enrolling on its conductors course.

Dartington Trust says it will only accept candidates ‘who identify as women’ in a bid to rectify the gender imbalance in the profession.

The move has divided opinion in classical music circles, with one critic saying that it is proof the festival has been hijacked by ‘agenda setting ideologues’.

The music summer school and festival, which has been in existence since 1953, offers classes, workshops and events open to amateur and professional musicians.

This year’s conducting course will be taught by Sian Edwards, head of conducting at the Royal Academy of Music, and Alice Farnham, artistic director of women conductors at the Royal Philharmonic Society (RPS) .

It will have just six students on the two-week programme, which in the past has launched many successful careers.

In a statement, Ms Farnham said: “The conducting world has changed a great deal, and there is much to celebrate, but there is still work to be done.

“The gender ratio in the profession is still well under 10 per cent, and this is a wonderful opportunity to help tip that balance.”

Figures previously produced by the RPS show that only 22 of the 371 conductors with British agents were women.

This represents only 5.5 per cent of the profession.

The ban on male candidates has not been not welcomed by all.

Norman Lebrecht, who runs the classical music blog Slipped Disc, called the move a “total perversion of values”.

He added: “In the name of inclusivity, which Dartington is supposed to represent, they exclude men from the opportunity to learn to drive.

“Once Dartington was the happiest of summer festivals, open to all regardless of race and ability, and to all musical ideas on an equal footing.

“As someone who taught a course in musical irony at the festival, I am shocked to see it taken over by ideologues setting the agenda.”

Sara Mohr-Pietsch, the festival’s artistic director said: “In 2022, we are delighted to be partnering with the RPS Women Conductors programme on this course, taking an active part in what is an international, industry-wide commitment to address the significant, long-standing gender imbalance in the conducting profession.

“While there has been much change, there is still work to do: recently, the Royal Philharmonic Society recorded that more than 90 per cent of professional conducting opportunities in the UK are still given to men.

“Even in Dartington, which has offered many bursary places to female students over the years, there is still an imbalance in applications, with only 25 per cent female applicants in 2019.

“As incoming artistic director, I was keen to do my part in encouraging more women to have the confidence to put themselves forward for this unique opportunity.”