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    • Mar 1, 2022
    • 7 min read

Where did you find that music? A repertoire resource for programming women composers of choral music in time for March

Exploring choral repertoire and experimenting how songs connect to create a compelling and meaningful program is one of my favorite pastimes. But crafting choral programs can be challenging and time-consuming, especially if you have committed to not reprising the songs you sang in previous choral ensembles. Let’s be honest for a beat--the music many of us sang in high school and college was primarily composed by white males. And it is easy to locate this “tried and true” choral repertoire, also referred to as being part of the choral canon, because it is widely available in our institution’s choral music libraries, music anthologies, and music publishing websites. In fact, there is a very good chance you can score a composition (pun intended) from the choral canon in the public domain for free. Thus, programing diverse repertoire can be difficult because access to the music has not been equitable. Six years ago, I gathered the courage as a choral conductor and artistic director to find my own voice by conscientiously programming music by women-presenting composers for the choirs I directed and also began reconsidering the choral literature taught at the graduate level. By conscientious I mean scouring, researching, listening, making lists, studying, and teaching choral music composed by women. Although my diligence in repertoire exploration extends to other composers representing populations that have historically been excluded and underrepresented in choral performance, this resource is specific to finding balance in the gender and gender expressions of the composers programmed.


Over the last few years, I have started polling our audiences to inquire the aspect(s) of the concert they enjoyed most. The positive comments were centered around the variety of repertoire, to which one of my favorite comments is, “where did you find that music?” While there have been considerable strides in recent years of lists including underrepresented composers, a comprehsensive resource does not exist… yet. Therefore, I often visit individual websites of my ever-growing list of composers to explore whether one of their compositions will fit an upcoming program. When I have been unable to locate a particular score, I have contacted other ensembles that have performed it to inquire where to find it. As you can imagine, the task is time-consuming but worth it. There are several great resources starting to emerge that aid programming music by composers of a gender or gender expression that is underrepresented in the choral canon. Here are a few resources to explore this summer as you consider broadening your programs for the upcoming season:


Historical Options:


An online resource dedicated to promoting the vocal works and stories of historical female composers who have been overlooked for centuries (particularly historical composers). Each composer page includes recordings to explore.


This searchable database has over 400 compositions by women composers listed.


An excellent resource for using music composed by women to explain music theory concepts.


Publisher dedicated to music from the Italian convents of the 16th and 17th centuries. Most of the music was scored for SATB voicing and the website includes insight as to how the nuns sang the bass part.


General Exploring Resources


Phenomenal. This list features more than 5,000 women composers from pre-medieval to 21st century singer-songwriters. You can filter your search to choral music and by era. When you access the composer’s page, be sure to click the “External Reference” button as it will send you to info on the composer or the composer’s website. This list would be ultimate resource if recording examples were included for each composer.


Empowering Silenced Voices Database (compiled by Chorosynthesis Singers)

You can search by social conscious themes to find options.


This project has the potential to be that searchable database we are seeking, but it appears to still in the building process, but it almost 200 songs by women composers (you can search by a number of gender marginalized composers).


You can narrow the search by women composers by clicking the link. CPDL is free!


An extensive spreadsheet of choral compositions by women composers from across the globe.


Links to an ACDA conference presentation with additional resources.


A simple google document prepared and shared online.




Crowdsourcing


Join one of the many choral groups on facebook, such as “I’m a choir director”, "Choral Repertoire Hub", and “Choral Music” and utilize the search option to find repertoire of a specific theme, voicing, etc.. These resources offer a plethora of crowd sourcing options from your colleagues. If you have an obscure programming theme, create a post and ask for assistance. Reddit is another option to explore.


Treble Choir Resources:


Repertoire Lists of Women Composers (as performed by Elektra Women’s Choir)

This list is an incredible resource of women composers, including many Canadian based composers.


This list has a balanced offering of repertoire, with a dedication to women presenting composers.


This ensemble has shared several obscure and underperformed early repertoire.


A comprehensive resource as there is considerable information included on each work.


Sacred Music Resources:


Published three anthology volumes of music by women composers (historical and living) to be used in a church setting. The website offers perusal scores and listening links to most of the repertoire.


The website has recordings of music composed by women for every day in Advent and Stations of the Cross. A great resource for church musicians.


A new and most excellent resource with many incredible composers.


This site has a spreadsheet with a repertoire suggestion for each Sunday in the lectionary for Year B and C (church musicians – this incredible site is for you!)


Publishers:


A publisher dedicated to the works of women composers.


Kassia Choral Series (under Bank Musics Publications)

A choral series highlighting women composers.


A fantastic resource of music by historical composers, but also historical repertoire specifically composed for soprano/alto voices.


The publisher has a wonderfully diverse set of composers to explore.


An artist-owned sheet music distribution. It is an excellent resource for exploring the works of living women-presenting composers.


This publisher has a listing of all the women identifying composers they publish.


Beautiful editions of rare and difficult-to-find music for the practical modern performer.

Passion for music by underrepresented composers from all historical eras, new music by living composers, and early music.


Commission a Living Composer:

Approach a composer to write a work for one of the ensembles you direct or enter into a commission consortium with other directors/ensembles to reduce the cost.



Creating Lists of Composers:

Here is a list of some of the incredible composers whose work I have programmed (either already performed in the past few years or scheduled to perform this year) with a link to their repertoire online or website (*indicates composers we have commissioned). I have included the ones I have programmed to show that it is possible to incorporate diverse repertoire into our programs. A recording has been included for a few of the examples recorded by one of community ensembles or Voices of Concinnity. Also included is a list of composers whose works are on my list for future programming:


Historical Works Programmed:

Vittoria Aleotti (ca.1570-1646)

Caterina Assandra (c.1590-c.1618)

Francesca Caccini (1587-1646) - Recording: "Aure volanti"

Sulpitia Cesis (1577-after 1619)

Isabella Leonarda (1620-1704)

Clara Schumann (1819-1896)

Lucrezia Vizzana (1590-1662)


Living Composers Programmed:

Nadia Boulanger

Kerensa Briggs - Recording: "Media Vita"

Eleanor Daley - Recording: "Love Came Down at Christmas"

Glenda Franklin

Hildegard von Bingen

Florence Price

Caroline Shaw - Recording of "Into the hands"

Dale Trumbore - Recording: "Perhaps"

Hyowon Woo


Composers on our List for Future for Programming:

Jennifer Lucy Cooke - https://jenniferlucycook.com

Catherine Dalton - https://catherinedalton.net

Libby Larson - https://libbylarsen.com/

Zanaida Robles - https://zanaidarobles.com

Marie-Claire Saindon - https://www.marieclairesaindon.com

Mari Esabel Valverde - https://marivalverde.com

Gerda Blok-Wilson - https://gerdablokwilson.ca

Kira Zeeman Rugen - https://www.kirarugen.com



The purpose of this article is to provide a starting point to help choral enthusiasts find of all the amazing repertoire that is out there that needs to be heard. It also illuminates the capability we have to explore new repertoire. If you are strapped for time when programming, you can access and explore some of the resources outlined here. Do you have a resource or composers that should be included on this list? If so, please visit our website to send me an email so that we can add it to this list.


Happy summer and happy programming!


 

Written by Sarah Kaufold

Artistic Director of Consonare Choral Community

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