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a database of composers who also happen to be women
About this list: This is by no means the ultimate database of women composers, or better still, of composers who also happen to be women.
In fact, this list represents only a fraction of more than 6000 composers about whom a record exists
(Aaron Cohen's Encyclopedia of Women Composers lists 6,196 women composers).
Abbott, Katy [1971] Australia Aborn, Lora [1907-2005] USA Aboulker, Isabelle [1938] France Agnesi, Maria Teresa [1720-1795] Italy Agudelo Murguia, Graciela [1945] Mexico Alberga, Eleanor [1949] Jamaica Albert, Adrienne [20th cent.] USA Alcalay, Luna [1928] Croatia Alexander, Leni [1924-2005] Chile Alexandra, Liana [1947] Romania Ali-zadeh, Franghiz [1947] Azerbaijan Allitsen, Frances [1849-1912] England Alotin, Yardena [1930-1994] Israel Alston, Lettie Beckon [1953] USA Anderson, Beth [1950] USA Anderson, Olive [1917-1995] Australia Andrée, Elfrida [1841-1929] Sweden Anna Amalia, Princess of Prussia [1723-1787] Anna Amalia von Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach [1739-1807] Anna Inglese [c15th Cent] Italy Ansink, Caroline [1959] Netherlands Appledorn, Mary Jeanne (van) [1927] USA Archer, Violet [1913-2000] Canada Armer, Elinor [1939] USA Arrieu, Claude [1903-1990] France Assandra, Caterina [c1580-1622?] (Lombardy) Italy Auerbach, Lera [20th cent.] USA Auenbrugger, Marianna von [1759-1782] Austria Aulin, Laura Valborg [1860-1928] Sweden Auster, Lydia [1912-1993] Kazakhstan Austin, Elizabeth [1938] USA B Bacewicz, Grazyna [1909-1969] Poland Bach, Maria [1896-1978] Austria Backer Grøndahl, Agathe [1847-1907] Norway Badarzewska-Baranowska, Tekla [1834-1861] Poland Badalla, Rosa Giacinta [c1660-c1715] (Milan) Italy Badian, Maya [1945] Romania Ballou, Esther WIlliamson [1915-1973] USA Baptista, Gracia [c16th cent.] Spain Barnett, Carol [1949] USA Barns, Ethel [1980?–1948] England Barraine, Elsa [1910-1999] France Barthélemon, Cecilia Maria [1770-?] England Barthélemon, Mary Polly [1749-1799] England Bartosch Edström, Carin [1965] Sweden Basacopol, Carmen Petra [1926] Romania Bauckholt, Carola [1959] Germany Bauer, Marion [1882-1955] USA Bauld, Alison [1944] Australia Bayreuth, Wilhelmine (von) [1709-1758] Germany Beach, Amy Marcy Cheney [1867-1944] USA Beamish, Sally [1956] United Kingdom Beath, Betty [1932] Australia Beatrice de Romans [c13th Cent] France Beau, Luise Adolpha (le) [1850-1927] Germany Beclard d'Harcourt, Marguerite [1884-1964] France Bell, Elizabeth [1928] USA Bembo, Antonia [1643-c1715] (Venice) Italy Benedetti, Josefina [1953] Venezuela Bergh, Gertrude van den [1793-1840] Netherlands Bertin, Louise Angelique [1805-1877] France Betinis, Abbie [1980] USA Bingen, Hildegard (von) [1098-1179] today's Germany Bigot, Marie [1786-1820] France Bilsland, Ethel Edith [1892-1982] United Kingdom Bingham, Judith [1952] United Kingdom Birgitta of Sweden [c1303-c1373] Bitgood, Roberta [1908-2007] USA Simone Blanchard [1893–?] France Blanche of Castile [c1188-1252] Spain Bliss, Marilyn [1954] USA Bloomer Deussen, Nancy [1931-2019] USA Bodorova, Sylvie [1954] Czech Republic Boissier-Butini, Caroline [1786-1836] (Genève) Switzerland Boleyn, Anne [1507-1536] England Bon di Venezia, Anna [c1738-c1767] (Venice) Italy Bond, Victoria [1945] USA Bonds, Margaret Allison [1913-1972] USA Bonis, Melanie [1858-1937] France Bor, Modesta [1926-1999] Venezuela Borisova-Ollas, Victoria [1969] Russia Borroff, Edith [1925] USA Bosanquet, Caroline [1940] United Kingdom Bosmans, Henriëtte Hilda [1895-1952] Netherlands Bottini, Marianna [1802-1858] (Lucca) Italy Bouchard, Linda [1957] Canada Boulanger, Lili [1893-1918] France Boulanger, Nadia [1887-1979] France Josephine Boulay [1869–1925] France Boyd, Anne [1946] Australia Boyle, Ina [1889-1967] Ireland Brake, May Hannah [1885-1956] England Brandman, Margaret [1951] Australia Branscombe, Gena [1881-1977] Canada Brenet, Thérèse [1935] France Bright, Dora Estella [1863-1951] England Brillon de Jouy, Anne Louise [1744–1824] France Britton, Dorothy Guyver [1922] USA Britton Smith, Irene [1907–1999] USA Brockman, Jane [1949] USA Brouwer, Margaret [1940] USA Brusa, Elisabetta [1954] Italy Bruzdowicz, Joanna [1943] Poland Buchanan, Dorothy [1945] New Zealand Buechner, Margaret [1922-1998] Germany Byström, Britta [1977] Sweden C Caccini, Francesca [1587-c1645] (Florence) Italy Canal, Marguerite [1890-1978] France Capdeville, Constança [1937-1992] Portugal Capio, Iseut de [c1140-?] France Capuis, Matilde [1913] Italy Carignan, Nicole [1952] Canada Carr-Boyd, Ann [1938] Australia Carreño, Teresa [1853-1917] Venezuela Cartier, Marguerite (Rhené Jaque) [1918] Canada Carwithen, Doreen [1922-2003] United Kingdom Case, Anna [1889-1938] USA Castelloza, Dame [c13th Cent] France Castelnau, Almucs de [c1140] France Castro-Robinson, Eve de [1956] New Zealand Casulana, Maddalena [c1540-c1590] Italy Cernovska, Zoja [1960] Czech Republic Cervenkova, Milada [1947] Czech Republic Chaminade, Cecile [1857-1944] France Chandler, Mary [1911-1996] United Kingdom Charrière, Caroline [1960] Switzerland Chen Yi [1953] China Chizy, Edith Canat de [1950] France Chretien, Hedwige [1859-1944] France Ciobanu, Maia [1952] Romania Clarke, Rebecca [1886-1979] United Kingdom Clingan, Judith [1945] Australia Cloud, Judith [20th cent.] USA Coates, Gloria [1938] USA Cohen, Alla Elana [20th cent.] Russia Cormontan, Theodora [1840-1922] Norway Cory, Eleanor [1943] USA Cotton, I'lana Sandra [1946] USA Coulthard, Jean [1908-2000] Canada Covatti, Helene [1910–2005] Greece Cox, Cindy [1961] USA Cozzolani, Chiara Margarita [1602-c1678] (Milan) Italy Cramer, Anna [1873-1968] Netherlands Crawford-Seeger, Ruth [1901-1953] USA Cruz, Juana Inez de la [1648-1695] Mexico D Dalberg, Nancy [1881-1949] Denmark Daniels, Mabel [1878-1971] USA Dare, Margaret Marie [1902-1976] United Kingdom Davidson, Tina [195?] Sweden De Castro-Robinson, Eve [1956] New Zealand De Dregnau de Lille, Maroie [13th Cent.] France De Kenessey, Stefania [1961] Hungary De Pastel, Karen [1949] USA de Rossi, Romana Camilla [18th Cent] Italy Decruck, Fernande [1896–1954] France Del Riego, Theresa [1876-1968] England Dell'Acqua, Eva [1856-1930] Belgium Demar, Theresia [1801-18?] France Demessieux, Jeanne [1921-1968] France Dering, Lady Mary (Mary Harvey) [1629-1704] England Desportes, Yvonne [1907-1993] France Dickenson-Auner, Mary [1880-1965] Ireland Diemer, Emma Lou [1927] USA Dinescu, Violeta [1953] Romania Dolgorouky, Princess Varvara N. [1769-1849] Russia Donceanu, Felicia [1931] Romania Drattell, Deborah [1956] USA Dring, Madeleine [1923-1977] United Kingdom Dussek-Corri, Sophia [1775-1847?] England (Mlle) Duval, Louise [1718?-1775?] France Dvorakova, Marketa [1977] Czech Republic Dychko, Lesia [20th cent.] Ukraine E Eckhardt-Gramatté, Sophie-Carmen [1899-1974] Russia Eiriksdottir, Karolina [1951] Iceland Ekizian, Michelle [1956] USA Elizabeth I, Queen of England [1533-1603] Elkington, Lilian [1900–1969] UK Ellicott, Rosalind [1857-1924] United Kingdom Epstein, Marti [1959] USA Erding-Swiridoff, Susanne [1955] Germany Escot, Pozzi [1933] USA Esmail, Reena [1983] USA F Fabianska, Teresa [1760-18?] Poland Fábregas, Elisénda [1955] Spain Faisst, Clara [1872-1948] Germany Farrenc, Louise [1804-1875] France Faxon, Nancy [1914-2005] USA Ferrari, Carlotta [1831-1907] Italy Ferrari, Carlotta [1975] Italy Fine, Vivian [1913-2000] USA Finzi, Graciane [1945] Morocco Firsova, Elena [1950] Russia Fisher, Helen [20th cent.] New Zealand Fleischer, Tsippi [1946] Israel Folio, Cynthia [1954] USA Fontyn, Jacqueline [1930] Belgium Fowler, Jennifer [1939] Australia Frances-Hoad, Cheryl [1980] United Kingdom Frank, Gabriela Lena [1972] USA Freed, Dorothy [1919-2000] New Zealand Freer, Eleanor Everest [1864-1942] USA French, Tania Gabrielle [1963] USA Frolyak, Bohdana [20th cent.] Ukraine Fromm-Michaels, Ilse [1888-1986] Germany Fuchs, Lillian [20th cent.] USA G Gabriel, Mary Ann Virginia [1825-1877] England Gaigerova, Varvara [1903-1944] Russia Galbraith, Nancy [1951] USA Galinne, Rachel [1949] Sweden (de) Gambarini, Elisabetta [1731-1765] England Gardiner, Mary [1932-2010] Canada Garrop, Stacy [1969] USA Garsenda, Countess of Provence [1191-1215] Garuta, Lucija [1902-1977] Latvia Garwood, Margaret [1927] USA Gentile, Ada [1947] Italy Ghandar, Ann [1943] Australia Gideon, Miriam [1906-1996] USA Gifford, Helen [1935] Australia Gines, Teodora [c16th Cent] Cuba Gipps, Ruth [1921-1999] England Giraud, Suzanne [1958] France Giuliani, Emilia [1813-1850] Austria Glanville-Hicks, Peggy [1912-1990] Australia Golovina, (Countess) Varvara Nikolaievna [1766-1821] Russia Gomelskaya, Julia [1964] Ukraine Goolkasian Rahbee, Dianne [1938] USA Gorelova, Galina [1951] Belarussia Gotkovsky, Ida [1933] France Gould, Janetta [1926] United Kingdom Gourzi, Konstantia [1962] Greece Gow, Dorothy [1893-1982] United Kingdom Grandval, Marie [1830-1907] France Granillo, María [1962] Mexico Grenfell, Maria [1969] Malaysia Grier, Lita [1937] USA Grimstad, Birgitte [1935] Norway Gubaidulina, Sofia Asgatovna [1931] Russia Gubitosi, Emilia [1887-1972] Italy Gyring, Elizabeth [1906-1970] Austria H Hagenberg, Elaine [c.1979] USA Hall, Juliana [1958] USA Hall, Pauline [1890-1969] Norway Hamer, Janice [1947] USA Hamilton, Janet [20th cent.], United Kingdom Hammarsköld, Emilie Holmberg [1821-1854] Sweden Harbach, Barbara [1946] USA Hardin, Elisabeth [c1770-?] England Harrison, Annie Fortescue [1851-1944] USA Harrison, Pamela [1915-1990] England Harrison, Sadie [1965] Australia Harrison, Susie Frances (Riley) [1859-1935] Canada Harvey, Mary (Lady Dering) [1629-1704] England Havrylets, Hanna [20th cent.] Ukraine Heller, Barbara [1936] Germany Henderson, Moya [1941] Australia Henderson, Ruth Watson [1932] Canada Hensel, Fanny [1805-1847] Germany Herbert, Muriel [1897-1984] United Kingdom Herrad of Landsberg [1167-1195] Hewitt-Jones, Anita [1926] England Higdon, Jennifer [1962] USA Hildegard von Bingen [1098-1179] today's Germany Hill, Mirrie [1892-1986] Australia Hindman, Dorothy [1966] USA Hoijer, Anna Ovena [17th cent.] Netherlands Holland, Dulcie [1913-2000] Australia Holmes, Augusta [1847-1903] France Holmsen, Borghild [1865-1938] Norway Holst, Imogen [1907-1984] United Kingdom Hölszky, Adriana [1953] Romania Holt, Nora Douglas [1885-1974] USA Holt, Patricia Blomfield [1910] Canada Hong, Sungji [1973] Korea Hoover, Katherine [1937] USA Hopekirk, Helen [1856-1945] United Kingdom Carita von Horst [1864–1935] USA Horrocks, Amy Elsie [1867-1920] United Kingdom Hovda, Eleanor [1940] USA Howe, Mary [1882-1964] USA Howell, Dorothy [1898-1982] United Kingdom Hubicki, Margaret [1915] United Kingdom Hui, Melissa [1966] Hong Kong Hurh, Bang-Ja [1943] Korea Hwang, Serra Miyeun [20th cent.] Korea Hyde, Miriam [1913-2005] Australia I Isabella Leonarda [1620-1704] Italy Ivanova, Advotia [18th Cent] Russia J Jacquet de la Guerre, Elisabeth Claude [1665-1729] France Jaëll-Trautmann, Marie [1846-1925] France Janarcekova, Viera [1941–2023] Slovakia Janotha, Natalia [1856-1932] Poland Jaque, Rhene (b. Marguerite Cartier) [1918-2006] Canada Jazwinski, Barbara [1950] Poland Jolas, Betsy [1926] France K Kabat, Julie [1947] USA Kakabadse, Lydia [1955] United Kingdom Kaminsky, Laura [1956] USA Kang, Jung Sun [1983] USA Kapralova, Vitezslava [1915-1940] Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic) Karamessini, Ekaterini [1967] USA Kashperova, Leokadiya [1872-1940] Russia Kassia [c810-c867] Greece Kats-Chernin, Elena [1957] Uzbekistan Kavina, Lydia [1967] Russia Keal, Minna [1909-1999] United Kingdom (de) Kenessey, Stefania [1961] Hungary Ker, Dorothy [1965] New Zealand Kerr, Louise Lincoln [1892-1977] USA Kessler-Schumiatcher, Minuetta [1914] Russia King, Betty Jackson [1928-1994] USA Kinkel, Johanna[1810-1858] Germany Kladas, daughter of Ioannes [14th cent.] Greece Klotzman, Dorothy [1937] USA Kolb, Barbara [1939] USA Koster, Lou [1889-1973] Luxembourg Kourakina, (Princess) Natalia Ivanovna [1768?-1831] Russia Kouvaras, Linda [1960] Australia Kralik, Mathilde von [1857-1944] Austria Kruisselbrink, Astrid [1972] The Netherlands Kukuck, Felicitas [1914-2001] Germany Kulenty, Hanna [1961] Poland Kuss, Margarita Ivanovna [1921-2009] Russia Kuyper, Elisabeth [1877-1953] The Netherlands Kyrylina, Iryna [1953] Ukraine continue |
Only composers of classical music, whose works have been released by a commercial label or
published in print (preferably by a commercial publisher) are included in this database;
however, exceptions will be considered for the more notable historical female composers whose works have been made available on YouTube or similar platforms in a high quality performance and recording.