News and music to start your week!

Ellen Taylor writes for Voice about what she learned after a presentation about Black classical music by pianist and musicologist Dr. Samantha Ege, pictured above.  Dr. Ege is a particular champion of the works of Florence Price, including a recording project featured in The Bristol Magazine.

Classical FM has a retort to the recently published piece titled “In Defense of the Tyrannical Male Maestro”.  The article, which appeared in The Spectator, is as ridiculous as it seems from the title, and Rosie Pentreath highlights the particularly erroneous claims while highlighting the tremendous achievements of women in the field.

Learn more about Icelandic composer Bára Gísladóttir at I Care If You Listen where they posed five questions related to her recently released album.

Opera America has announced Discovery Grants for Female Composers!  Awards up to $15,000 can be used for workshops, readings, musical materials, production design, promotional materials, and associated expenses.  Learn more at OperaAmerica.org.

And speaking of grants, the Association of British Orchestras has announced their latest round of grants from its Sirens Fund, available for UK orchestras, to help raise the awareness of music composed by historic women from around the world. We read about it in The Strad, here.

Musicologist Sakira Ventura offers both a Spotify playlist of Women Creators of the History of Music, and this fascinating “cartographic anthology” — a map-infographic. Enjoy!  .. and discover!

We mentioned LA Opera’s “The Anonymous Lover”  (by the 18th c. composer Joseph Boulogne, Le Chevallier de St. Georges) last week, but we REALLY want to encourage music-lovers to take a look/listen (available through Nov,. 29) — the music is so elegant and engaging, and the performance brilliantly presented, with understanding of the 18th-century conventions but also respecting and aware of our present circumstances.  And, truly, love can conquer all …:-) !  Music director James Conlon offers written and spoken insights, as do the performers and director.

What did we miss?  What are you listening to?  Let us know at [email protected]!