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Music 387 & 687: Composition: Women Composers

Composition lessons and seminars in principles and techniques of recent art music.

Where are the Women?

Women make up half of the population, but most of the music we study and listen to was written by men. Why is that?

Women are great composers, too. Why aren't they being heard?

Women composers by time period -- it may surprise you how many of these women you have never heard of--

Women composers of ragtime -- includes an A-Z list with links to about half the actual music (most ragtime music is in the public domain)

Women composers of classical music whose works have been recorded by a commercial label

Orchestral music by women of African descent

Dr. Christopher Reynolds (UC Davis) collected 3000 songs composed by women. See the finding aid for this collection. 

Choral Public Domain (CPDL) list of women composers with links to their music.

IMSLP's list of women composers with links to their music

Call number for books about women and music: ML 82 -- call number browse (use the NEXT button to keep scrolling through)

Representative sample of books/media on the topic: