Music Meets Drama

Defining what promoting a woman composer or women composers is in one’s life can be perplexing.   Is it a job?   Is it detective work uncovering or digging up something from the past?   Is it a mission?   Is it a passion?   Is it fun or a hobby? Maybe it is a combination of all of these.   We have wrapped ourselves in a blanket of passion that fills our lives as a job whose title is being a mission driven detective while having a delightful time learning something new and something not taught in those college music history classes!     We eagerly pursue new ways and avenues to promote women composers through blogs, presentations, published articles, performances, recordings, interviews, social media and podcasts.   We work to get out the message that women have existed as composers as long as men have – always! I would consider my many years of work on the music and life of composer Gena Branscombe as an absolute passionate joy of a job! ...

Women’s History Month officially came to a close yesterday.   As many of you may have seen, I posted on my Facebook page, Life! Love! Song!  A Visit with Gena Branscombe, a short biography and photo of thirty different women composers of Gena’s era (1881-1977).   On International Women’s Day I posted a photo and biographical information on Representative Jeannette Rankin of Montana who in 1916 voted for equal voting rights for women in all states.   To honor all thirty-one women during March was a learning experience and an eye-opener for their accomplishments. What struck me as I did my research was that 23 of these women attended college including Juilliard, New England Conservatory, Leipzig Conservatory, Paris Conservatory, Royal Academy of Music, Royal Conservatory of Music, Peabody, Columbia, New York University and other schools.   These same women studied with the great composition teachers of the time whether here in the United S...