Women in music

Women in music have occupied many roles in the art over the centuries and have been responsible for a multitude of contributions, shaping movements, genres, and trends as singers, songwriters, composers, instrumental performers, and educators, and in behind-the-scenes roles. At the same time, however, many roles in music have been closed to or not encouraged for women. There has been growing awareness of this since perhaps the 1960s, and doors have been opening. Women’s music refers to music created by and directed towards women. It may explore political and social topics, influencing and impacting creativity, activism, and culture. Western composers Few works by women composers are part of standard classical music repertoire. In the Concise Oxford History of Music, for example, Clara Schumann is one of the only women composers mentioned. Medieval Era During the Medieval Era, most art music was created for liturgical (or otherwise religious) purposes. Due to views about the roles of women held by religious leaders, few women composed this type of music, with exceptions such as Hildegard von Bingen. Von Bingen (1098–1179), a German Benedictine abbess, was a composer, writer, and phi