There are so many exciting women to listen to this week!
Beth Denisch, composer
On July 12, composer Beth Denisch’s All of Us premieres in Cologne, Germany, by the Rainbow Symphony Cologne. Her commission has been supported by five LGBTQ+ orchestras: the Minnesota Philharmonic Orchestra (Minneapolis, USA); the Rainbow Symphony Cologne (Cologne, Germany); the Rainbow Symphony Orchestra Paris (Paris, France); the Rainbow Sound Orchestra Munich (Munich, Germany); and the Birmingham Gay Symphony Orchestra (Birmingham, U.K.). The premiere comes one week after Cologne Pride, one of Europe’s largest Pride celebrations. The VHS Forum of the Rautenstrauch-Joest Museum is hosting the concert as a testament to the value of diversity in world cultures. Denisch’s All of Us was commissioned by the consortium of the above five LGBTQ+ orchestras, and each of its five movements is dedicated to an individual whose life and work have shaped the LGBTQ+ community. Each ensemble chose the dedicatee of its respective movement. The world premiere in Cologne will launch an international performance cycle, and over the next eighteen months each of the ensembles will perform the work in its home city.
The composer has written at length about her inspiration and motivation for the piece, which can be read in full here. She writes that: “When I first joined ASCAP (the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers), ASCAP Director and my mentor, Frances Richard, shared a piece of advice that has stayed with me: “The personal is professional.” It took me years to fully understand what she meant. As an artist, the music I create is inseparable from who I am and what I believe. My work reflects my values, my experiences, and the world I hope to help create.” Through her network of contacts she assembled the ensembles and their directors notably not only as commissioners but as co-creators with a common vision to affirm a simple yet essential truth: “that LGBTQ+ people are part of every community, enriching our neighborhoods, our cultures, and our shared humanity.” This is a very exciting and unique commission. Dr. Beth Denisch is is professor of composition at Berklee College of Music, and also serves on our WPA Board.
Rebecca Lawrence, bassist, Unbound Symphony
On July 10, the Unbound Symphony Orchestra will present a festival concert after its founding debut on International Women’s Day 2026. By its own description, the Unbound Symphony “curates supportive musical communities for women and gender-marginalized artists while enriching the public through inclusive performances, learning opportunities, and community partnerships. Unbound Symphony envisions an orchestral world transformed by feminism, anti-racism, and social justice, where women and gender-marginalized artists lead boldly, speak freely, and thrive within communities rooted in compassion, wellness, and artistic excellence.” Their mission and vision is available in full on their website.
The concert on July 10th will feature works by five women composers: Starburst by Jessie Montgomery; movements 1, 5, 6, and 7 from The Montgomery Variations by Margaret Bonds; Kauyumari by Gabriela Ortiz; the Concerto for Double Bass by Dr. Sarah Bassingthwaighte, featuring soloist and USO bassist Rebecca Lawrence; and the world premiere of Spider Boots by Dr. Sarah Bassingthwaighte and Tessa Brinckman.
On July 1, the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra performed the Wisconsin premiere of Brittany J. Green’s TESTIFY! (2024) as part of its United in Sound concert at the Capitol Square in Madison, WI. As a celebration of Independence Day, the concert paired American patriotic tunes including “Life Every Voice and Sing” with contemporary additions and local favorites. Green’s piece was originally commissioned by the Virginia B. Toulmin Orchestral Commissions Program, and had its Kentucky premiere by the Lexington Philharmonic and music director Mélisse Brunet in February of this year.
Below is a recording of Green’s piece by the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra in February 2025. The recording includes a short introduction by assistant conductor Daniel McCloud.
Sara Aldana, conductor
On July 1, the Philadelphia Orchestra announced that conductor Sara Aldana has been appointed as the orchestra’s new assistant conductor. A student of the orchestra’s Principal Guest Conductor, Marin Alsop, Aldana will support Music and Artistic Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the orchestra’s other guest conductors throughout the 2026–27 season. She will make her debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra in January 2027 with a program featuring waltzes and other works by the Strauss family.
Finally, the Ravinia Festival in Chicago has announced that the Breaking Barriers festival, which focuses on women in music, on July 24 will focus on women composers in Film. Festival co-curators Marin Alsop and Laura Karpman will host two pre-concert events and share a concert showcasing female composers. The concert will also feature the CSO and Ravinia debut of conductor Chi-Yuan Lin, who is also a Taki Alsop Conducting Fellow.
Let us know who you’re listening to! Email us at info@wophil.org