There is no denying that the music community is dominated by men, especially in the field of composition. The organization Donne – Women in Music examined programs from the world’s top 101 orchestras’ 2023–2024 seasons and discovered that only 7.5% of compositions performed were written by women, down from 7.7% the year before (Donne – Women in Music 2024). Although many are making strides toward a more equitable music community, there is much work to be done. It is daunting to start this process without helpful resources. This essay serves as a guide for music educators seeking resources to improve the diversity of their curricula. Although focused primarily on representation of women, many of these resources can also be used to find and highlight members of the LGBTQ+ community, indigenous communities, and composers of color.

The goal of this essay is to empower educators with resources to remodel their classroom, studio, or ensemble into an inclusive space for all students. Although more women than ever are studying music at the collegiate level, there is still a disconnect, as women who study performance, composition, or education often do not end up seeking a career in the field. Women are less likely to feel they belong in a community that does not appear to support their demographic. Collegiate music programs are often male-centered in their curricula and concert programming, leaving women with a lack of role models to gain inspiration from. A more equitable distribution of opportunity and diverse programming in the music community stands to increase the number of women who continue their educational and professional aspirations in the field. The use of the resources listed below will help increase the visibility of women composers, modeling equal representation for current and future musicians.

The resources are divided into the following categories: competitions and awards, grants, women composer databases, and educational and professional opportunities.

Competitions and Awards

These opportunities are broken down into the following categories: composition, performance, and written scholarship. Each has its own set of guidelines regarding age, residency, and submission format.

Composition

Performance

Written Scholarship

Grants

These grants cover a wide range of specializations and purposes. These can be used for composition, education, or general improvement of equity in music.

Women Composer Databases 

These databases can be used in a variety of ways. Not only can they help individuals find music to program, they can also be useful tools for finding musical examples in the theory classroom and composers to study in musicology courses.

Educational and Professional Opportunities

This section contains both resources that can be used in the classroom and opportunities to stay connected within the music community.

Podcasts

YouTube Video Sharing Opportunity

Professional Organizations

I hope this resource list offers something for everyone! Use it to re-tool the classroom or to stay connected, and please share these opportunities with anyone who would benefit from them. Use of these resources can be a promising first step in achieving a more equitable music community.

 

References

Donne – Women in Music. 2024. “Equality & Diversity in Global Repertoire.” https://donne-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/DonneReport2024.pdf