10 women who changed the classical music world forever

10 women who changed the classical music world forever

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Saint Cecilia Playing The Organ.

Who was St Cecilia? Meet the patron saint of music and musicians

Hildegard von Bingen, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Edward Elgar among the greatest composers in classical music history.

The 30 greatest classical music composers of all time

Who is Toshiko Akiyoshi? Meet the Japanese pianist and composer who transformed jazz music

Who is Toshiko Akiyoshi? Meet the Japanese pianist and composer who transformed jazz music

Four women conductors lead the Met Opera in one week – in historic first

Four women conductors lead the Met Opera in one week – in historic first

New York Metropolitan Opera

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The Donne Foundation has successfully set the Guinness World Record for the Longest Acoustic Music Live-Streamed Concert, with a 26-hour concert of music by women and non-binary composers.

Musicians break Guinness World Record with 26-hour concert of music by women composers

Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn

Who was Fanny Mendelssohn, the unsung composer whose music was published under her brother’s name?

Happy Birthday

5 famous melodies you didn’t realise were written by women... including ‘Happy Birthday’

Hélène de Montgeroult, the incredible woman whose music saved her life in revolutionary France

Hélène de Montgeroult – the French composer who played piano to save herself from the guillotine

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Amy Beach’s stunning violin Romance

Amy Beach’s stunning Romance, played by a rising star violinist for International Women’s Day

The 10 greatest pieces by German composer Fanny Mendelssohn.

The 10 greatest pieces of music by Fanny Mendelssohn, ranked

Florence Price had her work premiered by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Meet Florence Price, the first Black woman to have her work premiered by a US orchestra

Price, F

Nina Simone, Marian Anderson and Sheku Kanneh-Mason (left to right) are just some of the famous faces that have left their mark on the classical music world

25 Black musicians who have shaped the classical music world

Who was Felicia Montealegre, Chilean actress and Leonard Bernstein’s wife?

Who was Felicia Montealegre, Chilean actress and Leonard Bernstein’s wife?

Bernstein, L

Marin Alsop is one of the world’s greatest conductors and a fierce supporter for the next generation of maestros.

Who is Marin Alsop? The trailblazing American conductor, music director and mentor

Marin Alsop

Lili Boulanger was one of the most talented composers of the 20th century, until her untimely death at the age of 24.

Who was Lili Boulanger? Meet the inspiring composer who died tragically young

Jennifer Hudson performs 'America the Beautiful' at the 2013 Pepsi Super Bowl

What are the lyrics to ‘America the Beautiful’, and what’s the patriotic song’s history?

Women Composers

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Clara Schumann

Rachel Portman

Florence Price

Hildegard of Bingen

Women Artists

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Nicola Benedetti

Isata Kanneh-Mason

Anna Lapwood

Yuja Wang

Mood

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Studying

Relaxing

Happy

Epic

Romantic

Baby

Occasions

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Wedding

Memorial

Valentine’s Day

Christmas

Latest on Classic FM

‘I’m Bach’ – TwoSet Violin officially announce return in teaser video

‘I’m Bach’ – TwoSet Violin officially announce new name in music video

Silent Night lyrics

What are the lyrics to ‘Silent Night’, and what’s the story of the Christmas carol?

Christmas

The Choir of King’s College, Cambridge performs at A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols

What are the lyrics to ‘We Three Kings of Orient Are’, and who wrote the popular carol?

Christmas

Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba in Wicked

What is Cynthia Erivo’s voice type and is she classically trained?

Yuja Wang plays a piano with three pedals – but what are they for?

Why do pianos have three pedals, and what do they do?

Cynthia Erivo sings 'Defying Gravity' in the Wicked film

Wicked soundtrack: who composed it and what are the famous songs?

Stephen Schwartz, composer of Wicked.

‘I just stole it from Beethoven’: Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz on how he wrote ‘Defying Gravity’
Epiphany Devotion At Salisbury Cathedral

Six pieces of festive music that aren’t actually about Christmas at all

Christmas

Yuja Wang, Nicola Benedetti and Yo-Yo Ma

What does ‘concerto’ mean in classical music, and what is its history?

Vote for your all-time favourite Christmas carol in The Nation’s Favourite Carol 2024.

Vote for your favourite Christmas carol in The Nation’s Favourite Carol with Viking 2024

Christmas