Women's History

Performance Today celebrates Women's History Month by honoring the women who have made a lasting impact on classical music and those who love music. The 2020 Classical Woman of the Year is composer and performer Valerie Coleman.

We're celebrating the life and the legacy of a remarkable pianist, composer and musical muse: Clara Schumann. Sept. 13 marks the 200th anniversary of her birth. Learn more about this often-forgotten figure in history and how her legacy ties in with contemporary artists.

Clara Schumann was considered to be the "one and only" of her kind back in her day. Jade Simmons, host of our new podcast Decomposed, writes of how this mentality still permeates classical music today and how that can change.

Clara Schumann, the subject of the first episode of our new Decomposed podcast, is among the greatest women composers. But here are 20 other women composers you should know, too.

In the 1990s, Deborah Borda became the first woman to head a major American orchestra.

Sarah Caldwell made history when she became the first woman to conduct at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, leading a production of Verdi's 'La Traviata.'

Violinist Maud Powell, who died in 1920, became the first female instrumentalist of any instrument for any genre to receive a Grammy lifetime achievement award, but not until 2014.

Nadia Boulanger was an influential teacher to some of the brightest musical minds of the 20th century. She was also the first woman to grace the podium of several major orchestras.

Trumpeter Mary Bowden is the founder of Seraph Brass, an all-female brass ensemble.

American composer Amy Beach's 'Gaelic' Symphony of 1894 was the first symphony to be composed and published by a woman.