Celebrating the History of Women in the Performing and Creative Arts

WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH SERIES

March is Women's History Month, a time to celebrate the contributions and accomplishments of women in the performing and creative arts throughout history. This month-long celebration is an opportunity to highlight the impact that women have had on society, as well as to recognize the challenges and obstacles that they have overcome to achieve their goals. When I think of women's history there are a few things that come to mind. Empowerment, intersectionality, leadership, and representation.

FLORENCE PRICE, an American composer, pianist, and music educator who lived from 1887 to 1953. She is best known for her symphonies, which were some of the first works by a black woman to be performed by a major orchestra.

Price was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, and began piano lessons at a young age. She later studied at the New England Conservatory of Music and the Chicago Musical College. Despite her talent and training, she faced significant discrimination as a black woman composer, and her works were often overlooked or dismissed by critics and publishers.

In the 1930s, Price began to gain recognition for her compositions, which included orchestral works, chamber music, and vocal music. In 1932, her Symphony in E minor was premiered by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, making her the first black woman composer to have a symphony performed by a major orchestra.

Despite this early success, Price continued to face discrimination throughout her career, and her works were often ignored or forgotten after her death. However, in recent years, there has been a renewed interest in her music, and many of her works have been rediscovered and performed by contemporary musicians.

Today, Florence Price is recognized as an important figure in American music history, and her compositions continue to inspire and influence musicians and audiences around the world.