July News from Women's Philharmonic Advocacy
BBC Proms, Summer Playlists -- AND see the bottom of this post for a July 11 special LIVE Happy Hour event with Dr. Liane Curtis celebrating Amy Beach!
We’re already deep into summer, which means that the BBC Proms is right around the corner! The annual music festival begins on July 18th this year with concerts until September 13th, where Elim Chan will become the third woman ever to lead the famous Last Night at the Proms concert.
The Proms is a fantastic event that creates highly accessible concerts, bringing a variety of music to the great diversity that exists within the UK, and beyond. (Many of the concerts are free to watch online through the BBC website.) We took a look at the programming scheduled for this year to see how intentional the Proms administration have been to creating inclusivity and diversity in the music that they are presenting. The answer, unsurprisingly but also distressingly, is that the programming is rather lacking. Moreover, it is less diverse and inclusive than it was last year. The most shocking figure is that the works by women composers will make up only 7% of the airtime throughout the eight weeks of Proms concerts:
While there are certainly points to be celebrated - including the inclusion of Angélique Kidjo African Symphony and an often overlooked symphonic poem by Augusta Holmès - much work remains to be done. Be sure to read the full report at the WPA Website.
A Playlist For July
In honor of the BBC Proms, we’ve created a playlist of works by British women composers that we’d like to hear in future Proms concerts. Have a listen, and perhaps discover something new to you.
Summer Concerts & Events
Just some of the many events featuring women composers this summer!
TIME:SPANS celebrates 21st century works and takes place annually in New York City. This year’s festival will take place August 9-23 and will include:
Violinist Mirande Cuckson playing works by Lidia Zielinska and Kaija Saarahio on August 11
Ensemble Nikel performing works by Bekah Simms and Rebecca Saunders on August 13
Sixtrum Percussion performing D’aure et du pluie - Jeau d’eau by Léa Boudreau on August 14, and Jennifer Higdon’s Splendid Wood on August 16
The Bozini Quartet performing works by Cassandra Miller and Zosha Di Castri on August 15
The Talea Ensemble performing Chaya Czernowin’s the divine thawing of the core on August 19
International Contemporary Ensemble performing works by Tebogo Monnakgotla and Corie Rose Soumah on August 22
Also in New York City is the Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City Festival — the multi-genre festival includes a Festival Orchestra, and their first concert kicks off July 19, with their “crowd-composed concert” — “you get to decide what you will hear. Use text-to-vote during the concert to choose from repertoire that previews the Festival Orchestra’s summer season.” These choices will include Louise Farrenc, whose Overture n. 1 is included in concerts on July 29 and 30; and works by Emilie Mayer and Anna Clyne (included on the July 22 and 23 concerts). Also the Orchestra’s closing concerts Aug. 8 and 9 include Clara Schumann’s rarely performed Konzertsatz in its New York premiere.
The La Jolla Music Society SummerFest takes place July 25-August 23 in La Jolla, California. This coming festival will hear:
Rebecca Clarke’s Viola Sonata on July 27
Jessie Montgomery’s Peace on August 7, Concerto Grosso on August 8, and Starburst on August 23.
The Aspen Music Festival’s Orchestra will perform many works by women composers, including: Jessie Montgomery’s Hymn for Everyone on July 27, Gabriella Smith’s Tumblebird Contrails on August 1, Anna Clyne’s Atlas on August 8, and Jennifer Higdon’s blue cathedral on August 10,
The Bard Music Festival takes place June 27-August 17. The SummerScape series will include the world premiere of a new ballet entitled Pastoral, based on Beethoven’s Symphony 6, but including music by Caroline Shaw. The Fisher Center LAB will also include a work-in-progress reading of a libretto by Suzan-Lori Parks based on Scott Joplin’s opera Treemonisha. Though much of the Music Festival is centered on the work of Martinů, on August 10 the Balourdet Quartet will perform Vítězslava Kaprálová’s String Quartet No. 1, and August 17 will hear Joan Tower’s Petroushskates, and songs by Iva Bittová.
The ever-exciting Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary New Music runs from July 27 to Aug. 10, with Composers-in-Residence including Stacy Garrop, Missy Mazzoli, Jennifer Higdon, and Aleksandra Vrebalov. ALSO Daniela Candillari is the featured guest conductor, leading the first 2 full-orchestra concerts of the 2025 Season.
AND NOW — you made it this far!! Here is the link for our special LIVE Happy Hour event: ZOOM with Dr. Liane Curtis and learn about Amy Beach!
— Robyn Bramhall (northbayhr@gmail.com) is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting:
Time: Jul 11, 2025 04:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82300789721 — discussing Amy Beach’s Piano Concerto op. 45 AND celebrating the 25th anniversary of Beach’s name being added to Boston’s Hatch Shell. Beach’s Concerto will be performed July 23 at the Hatch Shell by Boston’s Landmark Orchestra!
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