Women Composers Finally Getting Recognition They Deserve

The classical music world is finally celebrating the women composers who've been hiding in plain sight for hundreds of years.

From medieval convents to modern concert halls, women have been composing brilliant music while fighting social barriers, family pressure, and even having their work stolen by men. Many of their names remain unknown, but that's starting to change.

Hildegard von Bingen was writing mesmerizing chants in 12th century Germany that are still performed by ensembles today. She composed around 77 chants and created what some consider the first opera in Western classical music tradition.

Francesca Caccini was one of the highest paid musicians of her time in 1614, working for Tuscany's Grand Duchess. Her father was famous, but Francesca surpassed his success during her lifetime.

You know Mozart, Mendelssohn, and Schumann. But you might not know their equally talented family members: Maria Anna Mozart, Fanny Mendelssohn, and Clara Wieck Schumann composed music just as beautiful and complex as their famous brothers and husbands.

Barbara Strozzi, Isabella Leonarda, and Louise Farrenc all created stunning works that sat untouched for centuries. Their compositions are now being performed for the first time in hundreds of years.

The Ripple Effect

The recognition extends far beyond historical figures. Nadia Boulanger became the first woman to conduct major orchestras across the US and Europe, including the Boston Symphony and BBC Symphony.

Only two women have won the Oscar for Best Original