New funding will support female representation in music

We’re delighted to have received funding from the ABO Trust’s Sirens programme to support the performance and promotion of music by historical women composers.

Classical music has traditionally been dominated by men and we’re committed to addressing this imbalance by diversifying the repertoire of music we teach students.

Thanks to the Sirens’ Women Writing Music fund, next year’s February Chetham’s Symphony Orchestra performance will feature six out of 11 works by female composers.

Elizabeth Maconchy’s beautifully crafted Land is particularly inspiring for our young orchestra as Maconchy was a teenager at the time of its premier. There will also be performances of music by Lili Boulanger, Florence Price, and Avril Coleridge-Taylor.

Not only will we perform in Stoller Hall, but we will take this new program to local primary schools to introduce diverse symphonic repertoire to more young people. As well as raising awareness of female classical composers, our students and tutors will work with the primary schools to develop creative writing, composition, and performance skills.

We are also working with present-day female conductors, composers, and tutors to inspire the next generation. Most recently, audiences have witnessed the incredible Chetham’s Symphony Orchestra at Stoller Hall, conducted by Karen Ní Bhroin, performing Rann Do Tri by Irish Composer Anne Marie O’Farrell, as well as Elizabeth Gallego conducting Sizzle by Margaret Brouwer.

We’re continuing to work with our generous partners and trusts to build on this work to improve gender representation in music.