Women in Classical Music

Saint Kassiani (aka Kassia) was a ninth-century Byzantine abbess in Constantinople. She wrote spiritual poetry and composed music to accompany it. She is the earliest female composer whose music has survived to the present day. Approximately two dozen of her hymns are still included in the Orthodox Church liturgy.

Listen to her music.

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.

When Marin Alsop was appointed the Music Director of the Baltimore Symphony in 2007, there were some in the group that were not pleased. But it must have worked out…she will now hold that position until 2021. A violinist by training, she has founded two ensembles, studied with Leonard Bernstein, and was the first woman to conduct the Last Night of the Proms. And if that’s not enough, you can also find Alsop at the helm of the São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra and the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Catch up on all her latest news and press, recordings and projects, her busy schedule of concerts and events and watch video clips and interviews from her career to date.

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.

Although Jeanne Lamon made her name as the Music Director of Canada’s Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, she was born and raised in New York State.  After studies at Brandeis University and in the Netherlands, she returned stateside to teach at Smith College.  It was after two guest appearances with Tafelmusik that Lamon landed the Music Director position.  Thirty-three years later, she stepped down, leaving an orchestra with a reputation as one of the finest in the early music field.

The Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State’s Christie Black speaks with Lamon about “The Galileo Project” and her career.  Listen here.

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.

When JoAnn Falletta matriculated at Mannes College of Music as a guitar major, she had already set her sights on the conductor’s podium. Despite the administration’s doubts that a woman could be a Music Director, they changed her major, and Falletta never looked back. Now in her 18th year as the Music Director of the Buffalo Philharmonic, Falletta never lost her love of guitar, establishing an international competition in 2004.

A child prodigy violinist, Sarah Caldwell was not satisfied simply playing an instrument: she had her eyes set on being a conductor.  And she did it, becoming the head of the opera department at Boston University at 28, and founding the Opera Company of Boston 5 years later. After stints with the New York City Opera, Caldwell would become the first female conductor at the Metropolitan Opera. In 1996, her efforts were honored when she received the National Medal of Arts.

Those in Boston remember the "Divine Sarah."

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.

Guitarist Sharon Isbin has commissioned more works for her instrument than any other performer. After graduating from Yale, Isbin founded the guitar department at her alma mater, then went on the Juilliard to set up a guitar department there. Since then, she has spanned genres from classical to jazz to Latin, winning three Grammy awards and multiple honors.

Learn more about this multiple Grammy Award winner, her music, and why she is described as “the pre-eminent guitarist of our time”.

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.