We are excited to spread the word on great concerts featuring women composers in the coming days from winners of WPA Performance Grants!  We are especially excited that these two ensembles are giving voice to historic composers who are no longer able to advocate for their own works.

The Chamber Orchestra of the Springs, based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is including Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel’s Overture in C in a concert entitled, “Unfinished Romantic” that will be heard on January 14 & 15.  Tickets and more information, including excellent program notes by Mark Arnest about the extraordinary opportunities and challenges that Hensel faced during her composing career, can be found here.  Those lucky enough to attend will also be treated to a pre-concert lecture with Dr. Tania Z. Cronin of Colorado College.  Get a preview of this excellent work as performed by The Women’s Philharmonic below:

 

 

Also this weekend (January 14 & 15) the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra of Boulder, Colorado, will be performing the rarely heard Concerto for Horn and Violin by Dame Ethel Smyth.  The concert program is titled “Brahms and His World”.  The inclusion of Smyth’s work is especially appropriate considering the influence of Brahms, and other German composers, is very apparent throughout Smyth’s compositional style.  There is also an opportunity to meet the soloists, Jennifer Frautschi and Eric Ruske, at an event on January 13 – what a fabulous opportunity to learn more about the musician’s connection to the work!  Find out more information and order tickets here.  Get a taste for this excellent work below:

 

Congratulations to these two winners – and kudos to your excellent programming!