We are thrilled that many concerts are taking place to celebrate Women’s History Month – As our friend conductor Wilbur Lin says, “Elevating women artists should not be limited to a single month, but #WomenHistoryMonth is always a good time to review how we are doing!” And, we add, to celebrate when celebration is called for!
Here are just a few of the many concerts and events that are taking place in the coming weeks.
THE BIG EVENT is the Julia Perry Festival in New York City, organized by the Experiential Orchestra, March 13-16, with a large cast of collaborating organizations and individuals. Julia Perry is such a significant and amazing composer who has been known by only a very small fragment of her creative output. So it’s a real thrill to have a dedicated group of musicians, scholars, and activists working together to bring light to the breadth of Perry’s brilliant and intense musical output. A shout-out here to the Akron Symphony* who has been one of the leaders in revitalizing Perry and who has compiled this website which we believe is the most detailed and informative on Perry. This is a profound and monumental historical moment, reshaping our understanding of 20th century music. We’ll be writing more about the festival as it unfolds – four days of concerts, symposia, discussions, in a range of New York City venues. The 100th anniversary of Perry’s birth is March 25, and EXO has released a celebratory CD that includes four of her works in first recordings.
Also in New York City: the New York Phil is “celebrating” Women’s History month by including no women composers. ‘Nuff said. 🙁
Mar. 7, 9, 10 – the LA Phil performs Sofia Gubaidulina’s Poema-Skazka (“Fairy-Tale Poem”)
Mar. 8 – Kendall Square Symphony’s all-women composers program “Discovery and Breakthrough,” features a new work by Francine Trester, “In Her Element” as well as Grażyna Bacewicz’ Overture and Beach’s “Gaelic” Symphony. Cambridge, MA
Julia Perry, center. Top: Smyth, Shulamit Ran. Bottom: Jocelyn Morlock, Beach
March 8, 9, 10: Lyric Opera of Orange County presents Ethel Smyth’s ‘Fête Galante’ in its west coast premiere, also celebrating the opera’s centennial anniversary. Also three of Smyth’s songs have been interpolated into the performance. Stage Director Diana Farrell and Music Director Doris Lang Kosloff. Anaheim, CA
March 9, 10: The Allentown Symphony Orchestra performs Amy Beach’s monumental “Gaelic” Symphony, op. 32. We are always happy to see this dramatic and passionate work be programmed. On March 8 , Music Director Diane Wittry leads a pre-concert presentation.
March 12: the United Nations Orchestra – a community orchestra of UN Personnel, together with United Voices for Peace – offers “Global Women in Music,” a concert of works by women, including a movement of Beach’s great “Gaelic” Symphony and several world premieres by composers from around the world, including Amy Andersson, who is also the guest conductor. Tickets and info available here. New York City
March 12: The Seattle Collaborative Orchestra* features Jocelyn Morlcok’s “Orthomacy” for flute and orchestra. Morlcok died at age 53 in 2023. You can listen to a recording of the rhapsodic “Orthomacy” here.
March 13, 15, 16: the Buffalo Symphony Orchestra is featuring Florence Price’s Violin Concerto n. 2, with soloist Melissa White.
March 16 & 17: Chamber Orchestra of the Springs* (Colorado) features Alyssa Morris’ Tlapalli, Tlahuilli that tells the story of an Aztec myth.
March 25: (North Bethesda, MD), March 28 (New York City), March 29 (Worcester, MA) The Portland Youth Philharmonic* will be on tour with their program including Beach’s “Gaelic” Symphony and Jessie Montgomery’s “Strum.” What a moving experience for the young people to be engaged and on tour with this great music! What a moving way for the orchestra – the first youth symphony in the US – to celebrate their 100th anniversary! The orchestra already performed this program on March 2nd (in their home base of Portland OR) and if you are unable to attend one of the upcoming live concerts you can hear a stream of that here!
*indicates orchestras who have received one of our 2022 or 2023 Performance Grants. We thank them for their continued pioneering work!