For those of us seeking to support women composers and increase representation in our teaching…a new initiative I’ve started: The Women Composers Challenge.
This past year I bought 50% music by women composers and tried (mostly successfully) to program at least one choral or organ piece by a woman composer in every concert and church service.
Looking ahead to the next year, I felt like 2020 was the year to really lean in and buy 100% music by women composers.
And then I thought – well, that’s all well and good for me to make this challenge for myself. But how much better if a group of us were doing the challenge together, sharing info and encouragement, and creating repertoire lists that are specific to our contexts (like churches or schools)?
So here it is: The Women Composers Challenge!
The Women Composers Challenge can include any of these elements:
- Including at least once piece by a woman composer on the events that you program in 2020.
- Buying 100% sheet music by women composers in 2020.
- OR, buying 50% sheet music by women composers in 2020 (whatever percentage is a “challenge” but a feasible one in your setting).
- Buying 30% sheet music by African American women composers and other women composers of color in 2020 (or another percentage that is a “challenge” for you in your setting).
If you’re interested, I set up a Facebook group “Women Composers Challenge” where you can connect with other people doing the challenge. And I’ve also put a webpage here if you’d like to share the challenge with folks who don’t use Facebook.
