Throughout the history of western music, women have played an important role in the composition, performance and development of music. Unfortunately, the value of this role has been ignored. It is not a question of women or men being better. Each composer, male or female brings a unique set of experiences to his or her music. These are completely different and it s difficult to compare.
Music is the universal language.
It s probably our only art form that cuts across cultural or language barriers to communicate feeling. Throughout western music the opportunities for women have varied, depending upon the social, cultural and economic dynamics of the time. Women have always had to be creative and persistent in their pursuit of opportunities. While women have been fortunate in gaining greater access to education, inequities still exist. The goals of this class are to increase awareness and encourage students to critically examine how women have traditionally been viewed in western music.