Organisations Supporting Women Composers & Performers
It’s an important part of our mission to support women in all parts of the music industry. Here’s a selection of the organisations, ensembles, podcasts and websites supporting female composers and performers in the UK. If you enjoy our content, you can support us on Ko-fi, where anyone who feels like it can gift us the price of a coffee with no strings attached. Thank you.
@herensemble on TikTok & @herensemblemusic on Instagram
Her Ensemble is the UK's first women and non-binary orchestra. It was created in November 2020 by violinist Ellie Consta after she discovered that just 3.6% of the classical pieces performed worldwide were written by women. The group is passionate about channelling their talent and passion into creating meaningful change within the music industry, subverting outdated traditions and showcasing music by women and non-binary artists past and present in a way which is accessible to all regardless of age, race, gender or class. When performing, Her Ensemble opt for colourful suits over a gender-specific dress code.
@Donne_UK on Twitter & Instagram
DONNE is a charitable foundation founded by Gabriella Di Laccio that fights against gender inequality in the music industry. Its main goal is to celebrate, advance, and amplify women in music so that they are seen, heard, and appreciated for their talent, and leave a legacy of inspiration for future generations. Visit their site to find a big list of women composers, which features 5,000 composers and counting...
@galsimusic on Twitter & @largeandshiny on Instagram
This is a brand-new collective highlighting successful female and non-binary role models to encourage young girls, women, and non-binary people to take up brass, percussion, and large and shiny instruments and to view this as a viable career path. Visibility is key in an industry that at present is extremely under-represented on the concert stage. Its founders are Beth Higham-Edwards and Letty Stott, who both play large instruments that haven’t traditionally been viewed as ‘feminine’ choices.
@MulofVoy on Twitter
Women have always composed sacred music, but their output has often been omitted from established anthologies. Consequently, women are hugely underrepresented in this genre. The Multitude of Voyces anthology series presents 63 women composers spanning 800 years of music, across three printed volumes, with many historical works published for the first time, and several works composed specially for our volumes by both emerging and established composers.
@theflistmusic on Twitter & Instagram
The F-List is a directory of UK female and gender minority musicians, created by Vick Bain. It aims to empower women to start and sustain careers in music, and helps event and festival organisers discover female talent. Why is this needed? Well, research by the BBC suggests that only 8% of the artists headlining the UK’s major festivals in Summer 2021 were female, and Vick Bain’s own research shows that just under 20% of acts signed to labels are female. Female musicians across all genres can sign up and create a free listing on The F-List website.
@patribachypod on Instagram
A podcast by Ellie and Ben, music students at Royal Holloway, who are on a voyage of discovery to learn about the Western classical composers they don’t know so well. At the end of each episode they swipe left or right, deciding whether they should be included in a brand-spanking new canon. Listen to learn about composers Sofia Gubaidulina, Bright Sheng, Ruth Gipps, Morfydd Llwyn Owen, Madeleine Dring, Germaine Tailleferre and Florence Price.
@illumwomenmusic on Twitter & @illuminatewomensmusic on Instagram
Illuminate, founded by Dr Angela Elizabeth Slater, promotes the work of emerging women composers and performers, and gives a platform for historical repertoire by women composers to sit alongside new works. The Illuminate concert series provides opportunities for women composers to have their work performed, and commissions around 10 new works every year. Its 2021 season includes concerts in Brighton, Stafford, Birmingham, Leicester, Nottingham, London, Manchester and Cardiff.
@daffodilmusic on Twitter
The Daffodil Perspective is a gender-balanced, racially equitable and inclusive podcast that comes out every other Friday on Mixcloud. Elizabeth de Bristo tells the stories of the brilliant composers and musicians marginalised over the centuries. Every episode features 50% female composers and 25% black, Asian and ethnically diverse male composers. White composers make up a maximum of 50% composers and airtime.
Hannah Fiddy is a creative entrepreneur, developing new audiences for classical music. She has created and promoted numerous concerts outside of traditional spaces, including warehouses, pubs, clubs, museums, hospitals, prisons and even in Primark. Hannah is also an interviewer, writer and guest lecturer, and runs the Avon Chamber Choir in Bristol. In a past life she founded London Flashmob, producing quirky events from wedding proposals to cultural pranks for up to 1,000 people.
Follow Hannah on Twitter @Hannah_Fiddy.