Women in Classical Composition: An A to Z Playlist
March 8, 2021
Pictured (from left to right): Caroline Shaw, Ysaÿe M. Barnwell, Dawn Avery
In honor of Women’s History Month, this curated playlist features one composer and work for each letter of the alphabet, showcasing the incredible variety and scope of women’s achievements in classical music.
A Alicia Urreta: Influential Mexican pianist, composer, and teacher and founder of Mexico’s National Symphony Orchestra
Selected work: “Suite Gàstrica” (Avuimúsica – Col Lecció de Música Catalana Contemporània Vol. 7)
B Barbara Strozzi: Italian composer and vocalist of the Baroque period, published more music in her lifetime than any other composer of the era
Selected work: “Amor dormiglione” (Metamorfosi – Baroque Impressions)
C Caroline Shaw: North Carolina-raised American violinist, singer, and composer; youngest recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Music
Selected work:Partita for 8 Singers: No. 2. Sarabande (Partita for 8 Voices by Caroline Shaw)
D Dawn Avery: Genre-bending Mohawk composer, cellist, and vocalistdedicated to indigenous cultural preservation
Selected work: “Abundance” (Alchemy – Music for Meditation)
E Errolyn Wallen: Versatile British composer of orchestral, choral, chamber, and solo works; recipient of the Ivors Composer Award and honored as one of BBC’s 100 Women in 2018
Selected work: “Pace” (Peace on Earth)
F Florence Price: American composer, pianist, and organist known for excellence in symphonic composition; the first Black woman composer to have a composition performed by a major orchestra
Selected work: Symphony No. 1 in E Minor: IV. Finale
G Gabriela Lena Frank: American contemporary composer, pianist, and teacher, current member of the Silk Road Ensemble and recent recipient of the Heinz Award in the Arts and Humanities
Selected work: Leyendas: An Andean Walkabout: VI. Coquetos
H Hildegard von Bingen: 12th century German abbess and polymath known as the most recorded composer of sacred monophony in modern history
Selected work: “Spiritu Sanctus Vivificans” (Naked Byrd 2)
I Ilse Fromm-Michaels: 20th century German pianist and composer, founder of the Hamburg First School of Music and Drama and recipient of the Johannes Brahms Medal
Selected work: 4 Puppen, Op. 4: No. 2, Der Hampelmann
J Jessie Montgomery: American composer, violinist, and teacher whose classical works weave together “vernacular music, improvisation, language, and social justice”; 2 time Sphinx Competition laureate
Selected work: “Starburst” (Strum: Music for Strings)
K Karen Tanaka: Prolific and award-winning Japanese composer; often takes inspiration from the natural world
Selected work: Night Bird for Alto Saxophone and Electronics
L Lili Boulanger: 20th century French composer; first female winner of the Prix de Rome and sister to famed educator Nadia Boulanger
Selected work: “Nocturne” (Janine Jansen: Beau Soir)
M Mari Ésabel Valverde: Frequently commissioned American composer, singer, and educator in singing and transgender voice training; 3-time ASCAP PLUS award winner
Selected work: “Darest, O Soul” (Cantus: The COVID-19 Sessions)
N Natalia Janotha: 20th century Polish pianist and composer of over 400 works
Selected work: Mazurka in A Major, Op. 6 No. 2 (The Salon of Polish Women Composers)
O Olga Neuwirth: Austrian composer of chamber and electronic works; 2021 Wolf Prize laureate
Selected work: CoronAtion I: io son ferito animè (Solo)
P Pauline Viardot: Famed 19th century French mezzo-soprano, pedagogue, composer, and polyglot
Selected work: “Hai luli” (Chant d’amour)
Q Lucia Quinciani: Italian composer of the 16th century; first known female composer of monody
Selected work: “Udite lagrimosi spirti” (Juana Ines De La Cruz)
R Rebecca Clarke: British-American 20th century composer and viola virtuoso known for strikingly powerful chamber, choral, and vocal works
Selected work: Viola Sonata: I. Impetuoso (Rebecca Clarke)
S Sulpitia Cesis: 16th century Italian composer, lutenist, and Augustinian nun; only known work is a volume of 23 Motetti spirituali
Selected work: Motetti spirituali: Hodie gloriosus (Tactus: Sulpitia Cesis)
T Tania León: Cuban-American composer, conductor, and arts advisor, founding member and first musical director of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, and multi-award winner
Selected work: “Parajota Delaté” (Indígena)
U Unsuk Chin: South Korean composer and proponent of experimental and electronic composition
Selected work: Piano Concerto: Movement 1 (Unsuk Chin: 3 Concertos)
V Valborg Aulin: Prolific 19th century composer and pianist, arguably the most important Swedish symphonic composer of the 1880s
Selected work: String Quartet in F Major, Op. 17, No. 1: I. Allegro (Musica Sveciae)
W Wendy Carlos: Three-time GRAMMY award-winning American composer of electronic music and film scores
Selected work: “Tron Scherzo” (Disney’s Tron)
X Xin Huguang: Modern Chinese composer whose work incorporates elements of Mongolian folk music
Selected work: “Ka Ta Mei Ling” (Ga Da Mei Lin)
Y Ysaÿe Maria Barnwell: American composer and female bass vocalist known for choral works and compositions for dance, film, and the stage
Selected work: “We Are…” (One Voice: Conspirare Christmas 2012)
Z Zenobia Powell Perry: American composer, professor, and civil rights activist known for blending contrapuntal and tonal frameworks with jazz and folk influences
Selected work: Piano Potpourri: No. 4 “Flight”
Playlist
Sources
Alicia Urreta (By Blackcow30 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0)
Caroline Shaw (by Feast of Music, CC BY 2.0)
Dawn Avery (by Fort George G. Meade Public Affairs Office – PHFL+soNativeAmerican-p-1-Heritage, CC BY 2.0)
Florence Price (by Source, Fair use)
Hildegard von Bingen (by Unknown author – Miniatur aus dem Rupertsberger Codex des Liber Scivias., Public Domain)
Ilse Fromm-Michaels (by Anita Rée – From the booklet of CD ‘Ilse Fromm-Michaels. Complete Paino Works’, Public Domain)
Karen Tanaka (by DR825 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0)
Pauline Viardot-Garcia (by Unknown author – Unknown source, Public Domain)
Rebecca Clarke (By Hopkins Studio, Denver, Colorado, United States)
Tania León (by Photo by Michael Provost, CC BY-SA 3.0)