Women in Music - Celebrating Diversity

Public service radios around Europe and beyond celebrate diversity for UNESCO's International Women's Day (IWD). After several years of the “Women in Music” project, this year EBU Music endeavor to have a more inclusive focus. This project is for all women, including those from diverse backgrounds and underrepresented communities. Using the power of music to make the case for women and diversity can lead to a change of mindset for many, and is a topic of strategic importance to the EBU and its member organizations. “Women in Music – Celebrating Diversity” is a way to emphasize this - using IWD as a springboard to inspire public service radio channels and the wider music sector to further enrich their musical output, not just on 8 March, but throughout the year.

See below the list of 49 EBU radio music channels joining to mark the 2024 UNESCO’s IWD on-air, as well as special offers available in MUS for the occasion.

The Music and Radio 60-minute session Women in Music - Celebrating Diversity took place on 6 March 2024. The conversation featured Reena Esmail, Composer, Rhiannon Giddens, Musician, Vanessa Reed, President and CEO of New Music USA, and Fiona Talkington, Presenter on BBC Radio 3. Watch the video

Follow #WomenInMusic on social media.

		“Classical music is undergoing a period of self-examination in which many of the assumptions that have been unquestioned for centuries are now open for re-evaluation. Musicians and orchestras everywhere are questioning what we play, where we play, who plays and even why we play music. As a major publicly-funded orchestra that reaches a wide audience, we have a responsibility to set an example that leads the way in effecting real change and improvement, but we also must always adhere to the highest artistic standards. We would like our music-making to be available to all, both in terms of the diversity and cultural richness of the people that make up the orchestra, and also in who we reach as our audience. [Read the complete message from Alan Gilbert]” Alan Gilbert, NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra, Chief Conductor
		“Public service broadcasters have the power to broadcast content that reflects and appeals to all audiences, and when paired with the much-loved medium of music, the impact no doubt accelerates the progress around women and diverse artists in the industry. EBU Music’s Women in Music – Celebrating Diversity initiative is a wonderful way to mobilize individuals at all levels - from passionate radio listeners to various decision makers – to continue our collective efforts in making more women in the industry, from all backgrounds, visible, connected and empowered. An international platform where women’s creativity and talent are celebrated, not just on International Women’s Day, but on all days.”  Begona Lasagabaster, Director for Gender Equality, UNESCO
		“Our paradigm with regards to women composers is that we want them to be heard all throughout the year – so women composers are now often heard on P2 – with a big thanks to the EBU community to make that possible.”   Jakob Marstrand, Editor of live classical music & EBU, DR P2 (Denmark)

LIST OF CONTENT OFFERS

SM/2024/01/24/01 (DKU, Germany) Kurt Weill Festival 2024 'Sounds of Women' | Berlin Chamber Orchestra conducted by Gabriel Adorján | Works by Ethel Smyth, Maddalena Sirmen, Elena Kats-Chernin, Lera Auerbach, Ewelina Nowicka and Grażyna Bacewicz

SM/2024/01/35/01 (LR, Latvia) English, Latvian and French composers featured in Latvian Radio studio recordings: Madeleine Dring, Madara Pētersone, Anna Fišere, Anna Veismane, Selga Mence and Fernande Decruck

SM/2024/01/52/01 (WDR, Germany) 'Elements' | WDR Radio Orchestra | Erina Yashima, conductor | Alma Naidu, singer
A concert for nature, our environment, our planet... What does nature - which is more fragile than ever - sound like? With works about the beauty and vulnerability of air, earth and water, the imaginative violinist Niklas Liepe, the young jazz singer Alma Naidu and the WDR Radio Orchestra give climate change a voice. The highlight is the commissioned composition “Tipping Points” by Oscar winner Rachel Portman, which sums up the fragility of our planet in a very impressing new work.

SM/2024/02/09/01 (LRT, Lithuania) Orchestral Music by Lithuanian Women Composers
On the occasion of UNESCO International Women's Day, we invite you to explore the orchestral works of Lithuania's most prominent female composers of the 21st century. Orchestral scores by internationally renowned composers Raminta Šerkšnytė, Justė Janulytė, Žibuoklė Martinaitytė, Justina Repečkaitė, Rūta Vitkauskaitė, and Onutė Narbutaitė open up a rich landscape of Baltic music that unites talent, global thinking, and unique sonorities.

SM/2024/02/15/01-02 (ORF, Austria) Bludenz Days of Contemporary Music 2023
Two concerts of experimental contemporary works by women composers from the Bludenz Days of Contemporary Music Festival 2023.

ER/2023/10/01 (RTBF, Belgium) Brussels Philharmonic | Glass Marcano, conductor: Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony and Dámaso Pérez Prado's Mambo

SM/2024/02/21/01-02 (BBC, UK) Missy Mazzoli: opera 'Song from the Uproar' and other works | BBC SO Total Immersion series
Two concerts from the BBC SO's Total Immersion series at the Barbican, London - a whole day of concerts and talks dedicated to composer Missy Mazzoli, including the UK premiere of her critically acclaimed opera, 'Song from the Uproar', as well as a concert of some orchestral and chamber works.

SM/2024/02/30/01-03 (BBC, UK) Three International Women's Day concerts, from London
Three concerts from London programmed especially for IWD, with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Singers and BBC Radio 3 New Generation artists, including two world premieres by Reena Esmail and Sasha Scott.

SM/2024/02/32/01-03 (BNR, Bulgaria) Women in Music 2024 | Bulgarian Women Composers Presented at International Festivals in Sofia
This offer, dedicated to International Women's Day, contains selected documentary recordings from the Sofia Music Weeks and Pianissimo festivals, as well as some studio recordings of outstanding Bulgarian women composers' works, each of them showing the individual composer's style. Over the years, a large number of works by Bulgarian women composers have been performed on Bulgarian stages - at concerts, music festivals and special forums for contemporary Bulgarian music. Sofia Music Weeks International Festival regularly presents Bulgarian works, including those by women composers, with many World and Bulgarian premieres taking place at this festival. Pianissimo Festival focuses on contemporary works for solo piano and chamber piano ensembles. The musical archives of the Bulgarian National Radio preserve different documentary and studio recordings, which give an insight into the musical creativity of Bulgarian female composers.

SM/2024/03/04/01-02 (GT, Georgia) Women in Music 2024 | Women conductors and soloists perform in Tbilisi and Telavi, Georgia
An offer celebrating women conductors and soloists.

SM/2024/03/09/01 (UA:PBC, Suspilne Ukraine) Women in Music 2024 | Ukrainian conductors
Radio Kultura channel prepared the special programming to the International Women's day - "Ukrainian Conductors" - 5 radio programmes lasting 5-10 minutes/each.
Until now, the percentage of women in the music industry has been the lowest in symphony conducting. Women in Ukraine, as well as around the world, have been fighting for the opportunity to lead a large symphony orchestra for a long time. In the project, we tell the story of the first Ukrainian female conductors, as well as our contemporaries who are now conquering European and world stages.

Celebrate UNESCO's International Women's Day on participating radio channels

Australia

• ABC Classic

Austria

• ORF Ö1
• ORF FM4

Belgium

• RTBF La Première
• RTBF Musiq3
• VRT Klara
• VRT Studio Brussel
• VRT Radio 1
• VRT Radio 2

Brazil

• Rádio Cultura Brasil
• Rádio Cultura FM

Bulgaria

• BNR Hristo Botev

Canada

• SRC ICI Musique

Croatia

• HRT - HR3
   

Czechia

• Czech Radio Vltava
   

Denmark

• DR P2

Estonia

• ERR Klassikaraadio
• ERR Raadio 2

France

• Radio France / France Musique

Georgia

• GPB Georgian Radio

Germany

• Deutschlandfunk Kultur
• BR-KLASSIK
• Bremen NEXT
• Bremen Vier
• NDR Kultur
• WDR 3
• WDR 1LIVE
• WDR Cosmo

Greece

• ERT Trito programma

Hungary

• MTVA Bartók Rádió
   

Ireland

• RTÉ lyric fm
   

Italy

• RAI Radio3

Latvia

• Latvijas Radio 3 'Klasika'
   

Lithuania

• LRT KLASIKA
• LRT OPUS
• LRT RADIJAS
   

Luxembourg

• radio 100,7
   

New Zealand

• RNZ Concert

Norway

• NRK Kultur/Klassisk

Romania

• Radio România Muzical

Serbia

• RTS Radio Belgrade 3

Slovakia

• RTVS Rádio Devín

Spain

• Catalunya Música
• RTVE Radio Clásica

Sweden

• Swedish Radio P2

Switzerland

• RTS Espace 2
• Radio RTR

Ukraine

• Suspilne Radio Kultura

United Kingdom

• BBC Radio 3

Music and Radio 60-minute sessions available on catch-up

• Celebrating Female Musicians (1 March 2023)
• Women in Music: Change in Progress (2 March 2022)

Partners

The Euroradio Music Exchange is a proud partner of Keychange, an international gender equality campaign which invests in emerging talent whilst encouraging music organisations to sign up to a gender balance pledge.
 

In support of UNESCO International Women’s Day celebrations

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