Women Composers

* 1720 in Mailand
✝ 1795

Maria Teresa Gaetana Agnesi, whose elder sister Maria Gaetana was a famous scientist and philanthropist, was born in Milan on 17 October 1720 as the third child of textile trader Pietro Agnesi Mariani and Anna Fortunata Brivio. “In view of the renown that she acquired in her early years for her performances at academic evenings organised by her father in their own home, it can safely be assumed that she had received music tuition from a very young age. [...]…

The exact dates of Harriet (or Harriett) Abrams’ life are uncertain. Following some sources she lived from 1760 to 1822, others mention that she lived from 1758 to March 8th 1821 or 1825. Harriet Abrams was born into a musical family of Jewish descent and was a successful singer, as were her two younger sisters Theodosia and Eliza. Harriet studied voice, music theory and composition with famous composer Thomas Arne (1710–1778) and made her debut as a singer in 1775…

* 1946 in Bukarest
✝ 2011 in Bukarest

The pianist and composer studied Composition at the Bucharest Ciprian-Porumbescu Conservatory from 1965 to 1971. She took part for several years in summer courses in Darmstadt and in 1983 was awarded the USIA scholarship to study in the USA, where she completed her doctorate in Musicology. Liana Alexandra has won numerous prizes for composition, she won the Gedok Competition in Mannheim in 1989 and won prizes at the International Festival of Women Composers in Unna in 1991 and in 2003…

* 1959 in Madrid

Maria de Alvear studierte Cembalo, Klavier, Orgel und Harfe sowie Komposition und Dirigieren in Spanien und ab 1980 "Neues Musiktheater" bei Mauricio Kagel an der Hochschule für Musik in Köln. Sie erhielt ihren Abschluss 1986 und arbeitet seit 1989 auch als bildende Künstlerin. Maria de Alvear erhielt 1992 das Bernd-Alois-Zimmermann-Stipendium und gründete 1998 den Verlag "World Edition". Die Komponistin befasste sich intensiv mit Jazzimprovisation und der Musik anderer Völker; Forschungsreisen führten sie u. a. nach Sibirien, Nordafrika und in die…

* 1950 in Bamberg

With her rhythmical instrumental music, Elisabeth Amandi is an active and creative woman in all important areas of musical education and entertainment. Elisabeth Amandi, born Elisabeth Völkel 1950 in Bamberg, spent the first years of life in a children's home in Bamberg. She was brought to Würzburg by Mother and Grandmother when she was six. At 6 years of age, she received piano lessons and, simultaneously for over 20 years, ballet instruction with numerous appearances in the Municipal Theatre of…

* 1841 in Visby
✝ 1929 in Göteborg

Elfrida Andrée, Swedish organist and composer, was born in Visby, Feb. 19, 1841, and died in Göteborg, Jan. 11, 1929. Like her sister, the important opera singer Fredricka Stenhammar, she had her first instruction in music from her father. She studied composition with Ludwig Norman at the Royal Academy of Music, Stockholm, and later took lessons with Niels Gade in Copenhagen. At the same time, she studied telegraphy and was the first woman telegraph operator in Sweden. She was a…

* 1738
✝ 1806

Anna Amalia, the Dowager Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, was a formidable political figure who was also a fine composer. The fifth of thirteen children born to Karl I of Braunschweig and Philippine Charlotte, a sister of Frederick the Great, she was born on 24 October 1739 in Wolfenbüttel. She received an extensive education across the sciences and humanities, as well as in dancing, piano and composition. At one stage she had been considered as a possible wife for the Prince of…

* 1959 in Amsterdam

Caroline Ansink studied the Flute with Abbie de Quant at the Conservatory in Utrecht and graduated in Musicology in 1986. She also studied Composition with Joep Straesser from 1983 to 1988 and was a pupil of the Korean composer Isang Yun. Her works include chamber and vocal music and compositions for orchestra and choir. Her compositions have won her a number of awards, including prizes at the Gedok competition in Mannheim in 1985 and 1989 and the prize of the…

* 1785 in Frankfurt a. M
✝ 1859 in Berlin

The daughter of a French mother and an Italian father, Bettine Brentano, a German poet, composer, singer and sculptor was one of the most versatile and flamboyant figures of the early 19th century. She received training in piano, singing and composition. Her style is very much improvisational. One of her co-students, Alois Bihler, seemed to be able to understand her musical thoughts perfectly well and was able to meet her with just the right chord during improvisation. Due to the…

* 1890
✝ 1972

May Aufderheide wrote a half dozen or so rags, and most were published by her father's Indianapolis publishing company, which he started to publish her works. Aufderheide may not have been able to write music--the actual scores may have been written out by Julia Niebergall from the tunes May composed at the piano. May Aufderheide's "The Thriller," dates from 1909 and is an excellent rag by a widely respected rag composer. The edition: AUFDERHEIDE, MAY(1888-1972) u. a. Ragtimes fue 1610…

* 1757
✝ 1819

Was hätte Ihnen der Name Josephine Aurnhammer gesagt? W. A. Mozart schätze seine Kollegin als außergewöhnliche Pianistin und Komponistin.

in Armenien

The Armenian pianist and composer, based in Germany, is known for her sensitive sound. Intimate and poetic, Marie’s music aims at communicating the depth of human emotions. Her music, always centered around her instrument, the piano, draws influences from the life experiences that have shaped her as a human, from deep roots in classical traditions to recurrent folkloristic harmonic elements of her native Armenia. Since 2018 she is active playing concerts in Germany and Europe. Besides her two solo Albums…