19th International Women Composer Festival

Women Composers; why discuss these separately from the many (famous) male composers?
Do we really need to bother featuring them separately?  Maybe a good question, since that action may lead to a sense of separatism.

And then I notice every year how amazing the works of some of these "women composers" are.  I wonder: have they been ignored as they were just "women"?  Alma Mahler, the wife of Gustav, yet a composer in her own right...In previous years I have performed music by Barbara Heller.  Stunningly pure and of intense beauty.  That was a 20th Century piece, commenting on the plight of women - imprisoned...war time.  Haunting.  It was with intense pleasure I played this and I felt honored to have been given the opportunity.

Now we are preparing the music for a concert that could have taken place at the court of the summer palace "Sanssouci" of King Frederick the Great.  Women composers even then; some of them with particular vision in their compositions.  I smile as we rehearse these pieces in preparation for our concert.  The most common commentary one can hear during rehearsal is the amazement:  "She is so far ahead of their time!  Her music is so exquisite!"  And indeed it is with great joy I practice music by: Anna Amalia, Camilla de Rossi and Elisabeth Claude Jacquet de la Guerre.  A new sonata for violin and harpsichord: incredibly exciting!  Light, French, playful and challenging.

I understand that in earlier days my colleague and friend was told: there are no manuscripts to speak of, of compositions by women composers in that era.  And here we are, enjoying every moment of the rich music repertoire waiting for us to bring to life.
I am glad we pay attention - special attention - to the women who composed and who compose the most beautiful music.  This music deserves to be part of mainstream music as we know it.  Yet this music will not come forth if we - musicians - don't bring it in the limelight of the stage.