Listening to Ladies: Recent Episodes
Listening to Ladies
Women composers have historically been left almost entirely out of the classical music canon, and still struggle today to have their work heard. Join Elisabeth Blair as she speaks with composers from around the world about their lives and their music.
Composer Patricia Martínez on sexism in Argentina, the visual power of performance, and surviving the production of an opera.
Eleanor Alberga on the value of persistence, racism as a form of insanity, and using music to exorcise fear.
Composer Elizabeth Lain discusses the independence that sample libraries afford, the self-defeating nature of elitism, and how classical music's relevance hinges on the inclusion of marginalized voices.
Composer Ayumi Okada on speaking through music, the courage needed to move to a foreign country, and the importance of not compromising your creative voice.
Composer and sound artist Kaley Lane Eaton depicts an immigrant's experience in the Pacific Northwest in 1915, discusses the pressure on young women to prioritize being "sexy and noticed" over being creative, and explores how grief is stored in the lungs.
Composer Alondra Vega-Zaldivaron humor, storytelling, and the vital roles artists play as philosophers and messengers.
Composer Reena Esmail on mentorship, music as sustenance, and the wisdom of preparing for “wild success.”
Irish composer and musician Jenn Kirby on learning music theory as an adult from “kiddy” workbooks, breaking a sweat in a laptop orchestra, and how to enjoy music you hate.
Composer Judith Shatin talks about visiting the inside of a coal mine, working with early mainframe computers, and blooming where you're planted.
Emily Doolittle on transcribing whale songs, crafting faux bird calls, and dealing with the cultural attitude that women can learn from "the great masters" but cannot join their ranks.
Composer Sakari Dixon Vanderveer on composing in middle school, the saxophone as a wild animal, and daring to be visible.
British composer Bobbie-Jane Gardner on music inspired by cooking, Noam Chomsky, and the city of Birmingham.
Andrea Reinkemeyer on the beauty of detail, adventures in linguistic misunderstandings, and choosing your mentors carefully.
Australian composer Nicole Murphy on teaching in the outback, the ambiguity of music, and the benefit of being oblivious.
Elizabeth A. Baker on falling in love from the point of view of a neurotransmitter, making music from bicycle parts, and the legacy of Nina Simone.
Composer Dganit Elyakim on nuclear ducks, the gendered art of bargaining, and composing as a process of writing love songs.
Composer and improviser Lauren Sarah Hayes on making and experiencing sound — in a mausoleum, next to a waterfall, and through specially built furniture.
Composer Marga Richter on how her family rearranged their lives to support her path, what it was like being the only woman composer in her Juilliard class, and where music might come from.
Composer Aftab Darvishi speaks about blending musical traditions, having her work deemed "feminine," and the state of new music in Iran.
Composer Beth Anderson on phoning up John Cage, not "looking like" a composer, and the collage that is life.
Composer Mari Kimura on growing up in an experimental solar house, taking care of a terrified audience, and improvising as a way to find one's self.
New York City-based composer and conductor Whitney George talks about rebellion in the bathtub, the relative loudnesses of sexism, and the beauty inherent in juxtapositions.
In this episode, Dolores White talks about some of her experiences of segregation, the importance of having access to a broad cultural education, and why encouragement is essential for success in life.
NYC-based composer Lainie Fefferman talks about being the only girl in math class, helping audiences get to know performers, and the problem with the word 'genius.'
Composer Jessie Montgomery speaks about identity, patriotism, and music as a catalyst for physically bringing people together.
Composer Augusta Cecconi-Bates talks with Elisabeth about growing up a member of "the lost generation," grappling with colleagues' surprise at how "strong" her music is, and learning to respect herself.
Composer Anna Höstman talks with Elisabeth about moths who drink tears, the delights of collaboration, and the value of each person's "absolutely singular" perspective.
Pamela Z describes the creative life she had as a child, explains what a phonolog was, and relates some of the encounters she's had with both sexism and racism in her career.
Elisabeth talks with Ingrid Stölzel about music she wrote as a child, the experience of being the only woman presenting work at a classical music festival, and the importance of finding a mentor.
This episode features clips of music by Stölzel including two chamber works, a piece for choir, and an orchestral piece.