Classical Music

Women in Classical Music

If you look at the listings of the major orchestras in America you will see two things in common; very few of them are programming major pieces by women composers, and almost none have a woman on the podium. Despite the abundance of wonderful compositions by women, the world of classical music has been, for centuries, a man’s world.

Hildegard von Bingen, composer and mystic

Classical 91.5 WXXO-FM | By Ruth Phinney

Published February 8, 2018 at 1:01 PM EST

From its beginning, classical music has seen significant contributions from women. In the 12th century Hildegard von Bingen was a composer and a mystic… and a Benedictine Abbess who founded two monasteries. Among her 70-plus compositions, her Ordo Virtutum, is the oldest surviving morality play. Listen to Ordo Virtutum.

This post is part WXXI Classical 91.5’s celebration of Women’s History Month. For more of these stories and other resources, check out Celebrating the Contributions of Women to Classical Music.