A great intiative by PRS Foundation supported the European Union
I can highly recommend listening to this week's programmes if you missed them. LeFanu is a wonderful composer and there are some amazing performances of her work in these programmes. I especially enjoyed her String Quartet No 2 in Episode 5. She is also a great champion of the work of women composers one of the founders of Women in Music.
This is a thoughtful and important article about the challenges and benefits of being a composer and a mother by Glasgow based composer Emily Doolittle. Emily says 'It's relevant for everyone, not just composers and/or mothers, so please read it even if you are neither of those!'.
http://www.newmusicbox.org/articles/composing-and-motherhood/
And this today as well! Fabric recently won its case to reopen and they are fulfilling their promise to make a different to London (and the UK's night life with this excellent initiative for women in their 'Equalising Music' initiative.
FABRIC X SMIRNOFF SOUND COLLECTIVE
WOMEN SHAPING TOMORROW WORKSHOP SERIES MAY 2ND – 4TH 2017
With women accounting for only 17% of headliners in electronic music festivals last year, the industry is in danger of under-representing female talent.
On International Women's Day, the Smirnoff Sound Collective launched their "Equalizing Music" campaign with a pledge to double female headliners by 2020. We proudly support Smirnoff in this ambition and are working together to increase representation of women across all elements of nightlife culture.
Join us at fabric for a series of events in May aimed at helping break down barriers for women in electronic music through practical advice, mentoring and networking opportunities.
Catching up after a while with some excellent news. Our congratulations as ....
Naomi Pohl becomes the Musicians Union's first female Assistant General Secretary
Naomi Pohl has been appointed as MU Assistant General Secretary, Music Industry, and becomes the first female to join the Union’s team of senior officials in the Union’s history!
“There is also crucial work continuing in the field of music education, campaigning for equal provision across the UK and decent pay and conditions for instrumental teachers. Plus we continue to lobby for the Agent of Change principle to be introduced so that music venues aren't threatened by noise complaints from neighbouring properties that post-dated them. So plenty to be getting on with!
“I am especially pleased to be the first female AGS and I hope this is an indication of increasing diversity, not only within the MU, but across the music industry. It takes time, but it will happen.”
General Secretary Elect, Horace Trubridge, says: “This is a very welcome appointment. Naomi has worked for the MU in every area of the industry and is ideally suited for the role. I'm delighted that she will be joining the Secretariat at a time when the profession is facing so many challenges and I am confident that the new team is well placed to meet those challenges head on.”
Katy Wright reporting in Classical Music Magazine on the City of London Sinfonia's new commitment to diversity in its artistic leadership.
http://www.rhinegold.co.uk/classical_music/city-london-sinfonia-makes-diversity-pledge/
I have just been listening to this great Romantic masterpiece on Radio 3.
If you missed it find it here
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08h0kfl
and you can read about the history behind the rediscovery of the piece in an article in The Guardian by her great-great-great granddaughter here
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/mar/08/fanny-mendelssohn-easter-sonata-premiere-sheila-hayman
Many thanks to Stuart Harris-Logan, archives officer at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, for this wonderful archival research.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-39191297
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-39191297
Again Radio 3 is dedicating all it's air time on 8th March to music by and interviews with women composers, including a number of world premieres. Whilst Women in Music applaud their celebration, we will not rest content until there is music by women composers on Radio 3 every day.
Listen in tomorrow for some fabulous music, old and new, and some important discussion about how history has overlooked some amazing work because it was written by women.