Description
Book SynopsisSo You Want to Sing Music by Women opens wide a vast repertoire of vocal music written by women to advocate for widespread inclusion of this too-often neglected work in performance repertoire. Hoch and Lister provide a historical and contemporary perspective, chronicling the Western art music canon while also addressing contemporary trends in music theater and CCM. In addition to providing a historical overview and social context in which women created music, this volume explores the music of hundreds of historical and contemporary women composers, such as Hildegard von Bingen, Clara Schumann, Lili Boulanger, Cathy Berberian, Erykah Badu, and Sara Bareilles. In addition to discussions of art song, opera, choral music, and avant garde/experimental music, Erin Guinup and Amanda Wansa Morgan also contribute chapters devoted to music theater, CCM, and advocacy for women composers. Interviews with high-profile composers including Lori Laitman, Rosephanye Powell, Meredith Monk, Georgia Stitt provide accounts from the frontlines of today’s composing world. Additional chapters by Scott McCoy and Wendy LeBorgne address vocal technique and health, and Matthew Edwards provides guidance for working with sound technology. The So You Want to Sing series is produced in partnership with the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Like all books in the series, So You Want to Sing Music by Women features online supplemental material on the NATS website. Please visit www.nats.org to access style-specific exercises, audio and video files, and additional resources.
Trade ReviewSo You Want to Sing Music by Women is a great contribution to the advocacy effort for more inclusion of women composers in the performance canon. The book provides a great introduction and overview of women composers throughout history and inspires further exploration and action on the part of the reader. -- Julia Mortyakova, artistic director, Music by Women Festival at Mississippi University for Women
So You Want to Sing Music by Women is a much-needed, broad-ranging study. This book will be invaluable in encouraging singers to perform the works of women composers. -- Rhian Samuel, composer and professor emeritus, City University, London
I recommend this impressive volume to all singers who are interested in good music, especially the excellent music composed by women over the course of the past century. This is a golden age for women composers, and this invaluable book contains the latest information on a new generation of prizewinning composers for the enterprising singer. -- Jeremy Huw Williams, internationally acclaimed baritone and scholar
So You Want to Sing Music by Women is an essential, up-to-date, and easy-to-navigate resource for all musicians seeking to widen the scope of their programming. Passionate in their advocacy of the substantial contributions of woman composers, Hoch and Lister convincingly succeed in letting “fresh air” into the musical canon. -- Elizabeth Schulze, music director and conductor, Maryland Symphony Orchestra
The role and standing of women composers has been muted and diluted throughout the ages, and for many years it was assumed this would always be the case. Recent sea changes within and outside the musical community have made this muting untenable, and there is an ever-widening desire to incorporate the music of women composers into our modern repertoire. This strong and far-reaching book is a massively useful resource and should be seen as a required text for all that teach and conduct vocal music of any genre as well as those who wish to learn more about women composers and their music. -- Rob Deemer, founder and project director, Composer Diversity Database
Table of ContentsChapter 1 – Music by Women: A Brief History Chapter 2 – Women Composers: Historical and Contemporary Challenges Chapter 3 – Art Songs by Women Chapter 4 – Operas by Women Chapter 5 – Choral Music by Women Chapter 6 – Experimental Music and Extended Techniques Chapter 7 – Music Theater by Women, Erin Guinup Chapter 8 – CCM by Women, Amanda Wansa Morgan Chapter 9 – Singing and Voice Science, Scott McCoy Chapter 10 – Vocal Health for Singers, Wendy LeBorgne Chapter 11 – Using Audio Enhancement Technology, Matthew Edwards Chapter 12 – Advocacy for Women Composers, Erin Guinup Chapter 13 – Music by Women: The Future
