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.

Missy Mazzoli - American composer's music is performed on the stage and the screen

Classical 91.5 WXXO-FM | By Ellen Robertson

Published February 22, 2019 at 3:47 PM EST

American composer Missy Mazzoli has received critical acclaim for her music. She has been composer-in-residence at the Philadelphia Opera Company and the Albany Symphony, and is the founder and keyboardist for the electro-acoustic band Victoire. Mazzoli's music has been performed by the Kronos Quartet, the Minnesota Orchestra, and the American Composers Orchestra, and she wrote several songs for the acclaimed television series Mozart in the Jungle. Listen to eighth blackbird perform her piece, "Still Life with Avalanche."

Read more about Missy in this article by NPR's Tom Huizenga.

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.