March 30
Sunday, 2:30pm

Dominican University
7900 W Division
River Forest

March 31
Monday, 7:30pm

Orchestra Hall at Symphony Center
220 South Michigan Avenue
Chicago

Jade Simmons, piano
Alison Balsom, trumpet
Tania León, Guest conductor

more info…

Women in Classical Music Background:
A Celebration of International Women’s Month

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The world of music can easily be considered a man’s world with musical giants such as Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, and Wagner looming overhead. Perhaps the first collectively accepted female composer was Clara Wieck Schumann in the mid-nineteenth century. In regards to composition she wrote,

“Composing gives me great pleasure...there is nothing that surpasses the joy of creation, if only because through it one wins hours of self-forgetfulness, when one lives in a world of sound." — Clara Schumann

One hundred years later in Russia, St. Petersburg composer Galina Ustvolskaya composed in a male dominated and tyrannical society. Her official musical catalogue runs to twenty-one works and includes five symphonies, six piano sonatas, and a number of works for chamber groupings. Ustvolskaya was a pupil of Shostakovich in Leningrad between 1937 and 1947, and they maintained a close, and closely guarded, relationship.

Humour - in any form of relieving contrast - is scarcely to be found in Ustvolskaya’s work, and, though it remains ruthlessly true both to its times and its composer's inner voice; her music remains difficult to penetrate and difficult to listen to. In this sense, composition was not merely a vehicle to forget the times, as it was for Clara Schumann; it was a catharsis to come to terms with the crumbling world around her. Ustvolskaya wrote of her role as a female composer as follows:

“With regard to the ‘Festival of Music by Women Composers’ I should like to say the following: Can a distinction really be made between music written by men and music written by women? If we now have ‘Festivals of Music by Female Composers’, would it not be right to have ‘Festivals of Music by Male Composers’? I am of the opinion that such a division should not be allowed to persist." — Galina Ustvolskaya

On March 30th and 31st 2008, the Chicago Sinfonietta’s will present Ladies Choice: A Celebration of International Women’s Month for their fourth concert of the season. Highlighting the achievements and talents of women, this concert will feature compositions by Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, Augusta Holmès, Tania León and Chen Yi. The concert will also feature the virtuosic talents of trumpeter, Alison Balsom and pianist, Jade Simmons.

Spanning different countries and cultures from around the globe, the women who will perform with the Sinfonietta bring fresh voices and new stories to classical music.

The traditional customs of civilization have transformed greatly, yet it is astonishing to view the still present obstacles these women have overcome. On a positive note, the creative talent of these musical composers and performers shine through with their impressive music, lives and achievements.

Composers:

Irelande, poeme symphonique – Augusta Holmès

“A female composer is not simply shaped by her experiences as a woman; these experiences tend to be inscribed – intentionally or not – in her music. Her compositions, in other words, are always potentially different from those of male colleagues.” – Karen Henson (referring to Augusta Holmès)

In Paris, 1847, of acknowledged Irish parentage, Augusta Holmès was born. Despite showing talent at the piano, Holmès was not allowed to study at the Paris Conservatoire; but she was determined to study music. Holmès studied outside of any organized institution and her talent afforded her many distinguished teachers, including composers César Frank and Franz Liszt.

Holmès was a prolific composer who wrote operas, symphonic poems and dramatic symphonies and a large number of songs. She published many of her compositions under the pseudonym Hermann Zenta before she became a French citizen. This action is quite telling of the acceptance of women composers at this time.

Notable French composer, Camille Saint-Saëns wrote of Holmès, “Like children, women have no idea of obstacles and their willpower breaks all barriers. Mademoiselle Holmès is a woman, an extremist.”

This quote provides a clear example of the types of barriers early women composers faced in gaining acceptance and respect. Holmès had a clear idea of obstacles. Despite the distinguished teachers and notable acquaintances Holmès deliberated with daily, she still felt compelled to change her name to the male persuasion; in the hopes of being taken seriously. Holmès still was not treated as a musical equal. Today, it appears that Holmès music has withstood time and is still known for its musical value and importance.

Musings:

• Does music change in your mind based on whether it is written by a male or female?
• Augusta Holmès composed under a male pseudonym.
• Do you think that the male name itself changed the way people thought of the music?
• Was the perception of music at that time based on the sound of the music alone?

Prologue and Variations – Ellen Taaffe Zwilich
Ellen Taaffe Zwilich was born in Miami Florida in 1939. Her works have been performed by most of the leading American orchestras and by major ensembles abroad. Zwilich creates music with “fingerprints;” music immediately recognized as the product of a composer who combines craft and inspiration in reflecting her optimistic and humanistic spirit in her compositions.

Her early works are marked by atonal exploration, but by the late 1980’s she matured to a neo-romantic style. Her style is marked by an obsession with “the idea of generating an entire work – structure, melodic and harmonic language and developmental process from initial motives.”

“Anyone can string good ideas in a row; the mark of a gifted composer is the ability to fashion them into a kinetic energy. And Ms. Zwilich… has produced an eloquent creation.” — Tim Page, the New York Times

Zwilich was the first woman to receive the coveted Pulitzer Prize for Music in 1983. Soon thereafter, commissions, major performances and recordings followed. She currently teaches composition at Florida State University.  

Musings:

• Is it easy to identify/classify music by new composers? What are some of the qualities that help ID a piece of new music?
• Tonality
• Melody
• Rhythm
• Musical instrumentation/ treatment

Horizons - Tania León
Kabiosile - Tania León
Tania León was born in Havana, Cuba in 1943. She is of mixed French, Spanish, Chinese, African, and Cuban heritage.

"My ancestors came from different parts of the world; they came from different cultures. I take pride in the heritage each of them passed on to me, and I represent all of them within myself. I prefer to be an inclusive human being." —Tania León

León’s rich background allows her to write music pulled from a variety of cultures. As a composer, León’s works are known for their rhythmic vitality; intricate and overlapping patterns, intense earthy tones and pure melodic lines.

León came to the United States, specifically New York City in 1967. León is highly regarded as a composer and conductor; she is also recognized for her accomplishments as an educator and advisor to arts organizations.

León has worked with numerous orchestras around the world including, the New York Philharmonic (having served as Composer in Residence), Lincoln Center of New York, Albany Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfonia de Asturias (Spain), Orchestre Symphonique de Nancy (France), and the Hammoniale Festival der Frauen, Hamburg (Germany).

“One of the things I always do is study other composers. When I’m conducting something, I’m a total detective. I see the technique, see ways of coloring, personalities, shapes, graphics, architecture, space and culture.” — Tania León, Composers’ Voices from Ives to Ellington

Musings:

• How can specific cultural heritages influence musical ideas?
• Rhythms
• Folk melodies
• Lack of folk melodies
• Do you think that being a woman in a specific culture can influence musical compositions?
• Does that cultural influence appear to be true more in the past or in today’s world culture?

Ge Xu (Antiphony) – Chen Yi

“Ge Xu (Antiphony) is based on the singing of field workers in southern China. The piece is richly affirmative, a feeling that is difficult to convey without sounding facile or simple minded.” — Richard Dyer, Boston Globe

Chen Yi was the first woman to receive a master’s degree in composition in China, another striking example of how women’s voices have been stifled in classical music. Dr. Chen attended the Beijing Central Conservatory for her bachelor and master degrees in composition, and attended Columbia University in the City of New York for her DMA.

Chen has received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts among many others. She has also received major commissions from the Koussevitzky, Fromm, Ford and Rockefeller Foundations.

Born in 1953 in Guangzhou, China, Chen Yi’s family members were doctors by profession, but always had a strong interest in classical music. Chen Yi started studying violin and piano at age three.

By combining Chinese and Western traditions, Chen Yi transcends cultural and musical boundaries and serves as an ambassador for the arts, creating music that reaches a wide range of audiences and inspires people of different cultural backgrounds.

Musings:

• Do you feel that Chinese culture is still very traditional based on the rate of women advancement in the field of music?
• Folk songs are less and less apparent in American culture, do you feel that the use of folk songs in Chen Yi’s music reflect the state of the cultural heritage?
• Or does the use of folk songs serve as a type of nostalgia of a culture past?

Soloists

Soloists of the female gender are relatively new to the music scene in a strictly instrumental sense. Up until the last 30 years, the majority of female soloists were limited strictly to operatic roles. Important sopranos of the past were noted for their beauty, sound and presence on the operatic stage.

As early as the 18th century, sopranos were recognized and heralded for their talent. Adriana Ferrarese de Bene sang as the leading lady in a number of Mozart’s opera debuts in Vienna, Austria. Malvina Schnorr von Carolsfield sang as Isolde in Wagner’s debut of Tristan and Isolde in 1865 and Aleksandra Levitskaya sang as Olga in Tchaikovsky’s debut of Eugene Onegin in Moscow, 1879. These women were honored and respected, but limited to the profession of singing. Few, if any female soloists of other instruments rose to such fame. It was deemed inappropriate and unaccepted at that time.  

Today, gender is no longer an obstinate barrier that women must battle to overcome. Though, still difficult, women are achieving more and more in recent years. Violinist, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, a renowned performer is a perfect example. Heralded by the Vancouver Sun as; "Brilliant...a performer of splendid technical accomplishment and an artist of deep feeling informed by a subtle intelligence...a performer in full command of her gift."

Performing with the Chicago Sinfonietta in the Celebration of International Women’s Month are soloists Alison Balsom, Trumpet and Jade Simmons, Piano.

Alison Balsom studied trumpet at the Guildhall School of Music, the Paris Conservatoire, and with Hakan Hardenberger. She was a concerto finalist in the BBC Young Musicians Competition in 1998 and received the Feeling Musique Prize for quality of sound in the 4th Maurice André International Trumpet Competition. She has recently been appointed Visiting Professor of the Trumpet to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and was named best Young British Performer at the Classical Brit Awards this year.

Known for her musical creativity and electrifying stage presence, pianist Jade Simmons is committed to expanding the boundaries of Classical music. Though her affinity is for the rhythmic and percussive repertoire of 20th and 21st century composers, Jade offers a diverse mix of repertoire from the classics to the cutting edge. She recently became the first ever New Music, New Places Fellow for the esteemed Concert Artists Guild organization. Under this initiative, she will help to build new audiences and generate interest in concert music by bringing traditional and new works to non-traditional and alternative venues. Her performance of the piano works of Tania León alongside renowned pianist Ursula Oppens was named one of the best concerts in 2005 by ARTFORUM magazine. June 2005 also marked her debut with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in a performance of John Corigliano’s Piano Concerto under the baton of Leslie Dunner. Jade has performed as soloist, recitalist and chamber musician and her performances have been broadcast on PBS and National Public Radio affiliates. She has given performances abroad in Barcelona, the Canary Islands, Paris, Greece and Italy.

Musings:

• Why did it take so long for women to take their place as renowned soloists?
• Are you encouraged about the state of equal opportunity for male and female musicians? What further advances do you believe still need to be made?

Links to more information

The Kapralova Society
Dedicated to promoting women in classical music

Database of Women Composers

New York Women Composers, Inc.
Dedicated to the inclusion and advancement of women composers

Association of Canadian Women Composers