Classical Music

Women in Classical Music

If you look at the listings of the major orchestras in America you will see two things in common; very few of them are programming major pieces by women composers, and almost none have a woman on the podium. Despite the abundance of wonderful compositions by women, the world of classical music has been, for centuries, a man’s world.

Leonora d'Este, princess, nun and musician

Classical 91.5 WXXO-FM | By Ruth Phinney

Published February 14, 2018 at 10:32 AM EST

Lucezia Borgia’s daughter, Leonora d’Este, was a princess, a nun, and a musician. Her mother died when she was just 4 years old, so Leonora was sent to a convent to be cared for. At age 8, she informed her father that she wanted to become a nun, and it was there she stayed, writing sacred music for the Convent choir.

This post is part WXXI Classical 91.5’s celebration of Women’s History Month. For more of these stories and other resources, check out Celebrating the Contributions of Women to Classical Music.