Women In the Arts, National Women’s Music Festival presents the 2018 National Women’s Music Festival Orchestra

Nan Harrison Washburn Music Director and Conductor

July 8, 2018 Middleton, Wisconsin

I am honored to have my music on this program and am sorry that I cannot experience the performance with you. Yet, I am here in spirit and have been asked to write a few words on the theme, "Like Our Foremothers We Persist, " which is apt for today.

…The recent NPR story, titled, The Sound of Silence: Female Composers At The Symphony attests to the very small number of compositions by women being performed by orchestras. Some orchestras have not performed any music of female composers this season. While I suspect the article may bring about some change, until that day comes, we have the National Women’s Music Festival Orchestra.

The NWMF orchestra is making a point of programming works by women. It is a mission invaluable to our culture and bigger than the future of concert music. Each performance contradicts misperceptions of women, what we can do, who we are, and what we have and can accomplish.

Performing The Journey of Phillis Wheatley, pushes the mission further: The piece is about a Black woman, and is written by a Black woman. More importantly, we can all draw inspiration from the story. Phillis Wheatley became the first woman of African descent to publish a book of poetry in the Western World, even though she was from the most humbling origins. When Phillis was brought to the Boston harbor as an enslaved child, years before there was a United States of America. She was intended to be sold, like a piece of property. But the Wheatley family saw value in her, nurturing her as one of their own.

It is a powerful message in these days. When many would applaud themselves as liberal, for presenting a concert limited to White Women’s music, Maestra Washburn and her colleagues embraced me as a sister. Their insistence on including my voice is why we all get to hear this musical story performed by these amazing women.

We’ve certainly come a long way since Phillis Wheatley. As we listen to her Journey, we all can bear witness to the knowledge that, indeed, "Like Our Foremothers, we do Persist."

Nkeiru Okoye

PROGRAM

Sinfonia in C Major, Allegro con Spiritu Marianna Martines (1744-1812) Oratorium nach den Bildern der Bibel, Introduction Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel (1805-1847) Suite en Forme de Valses, Interlude et Valse Lente Melanie Bonis (1858-1937) Chinese Folksongs Chen Yi (b. 1953) The Journey of Phillis Wheatley Nkeiru Okoye, music (b.1972) ©2005 Nkeiru Okoye Caroliva Herron, Nkeiru Okoye, text That Poker Rag Charlotte Blake (1885-1979) Let’s Get Loud Gloria Estefan and Kiki Santander Born This Way Stefani Germanotta (Lady Gaga) Sweet Woman Cris Williamson, music ©1975 Cris Williamson/Bird Ankles Music (BMI) Jennifer Wysong, lyric Orchestration ©2018 Cris Williamson/Bird Ankles Music (BMI) Mary Watkins, arrangement

PROGRAM NOTES

Sinfonia in C Major, Allegro con Spiritu Oratorium nach den Bildern der Bibel, Introduction Marianna Anna Catharina Martines (1744-1812) Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel (1805-1847)

Marianna Anna Catharina Martines was an Austrian Three years older than her famous brother Felix, Fanny composer from a family of Spanish origin. She began Mendelssohn was an accomplished and creative composing at the age of 12 and wrote over 200 works, musician who was virtually forbidden to compose music of which only 69 still exist in European libraries. by family and social pressures. However, when she was Martines founded a singing school and was known for promised in marriage to the painter Wilhelm Hensel, he the weekly musical salons she held in her home, which refused to marry her unless she continued to compose. attracted all the major artists in Vienna. It seems that It is said that every morning, he demanded a page of she and Wolfgang Mozart sometimes performed works music composition by the end of the day. She nursed for four-handed piano. her family through a cholera epidemic, then composed

The Sinfonia in C, written when Martines was 26 years her Cholera Contata when it was over. Felix published old, is representative of her works in general and of some of Fanny’s music under his own name, and for 15 numerous orchestral works from the early years of the years she knew that most of her compositions would "Classical" period. Its light tuneful Viennese style is never be heard outside her home. Only at the age of 40 harmonically simple and structurally straightforward did she defy her brother and publish a collection of her except for the composer's imaginative and spicy use of songs. The next year she died of a stroke. different phrase lengths and contours. Scored for flutes www.theguardian.com/music/2017/mar/08 (in the second movement), oboes, horns, trumpets, timpani, strings and continuo, the work most likely was The text for this Oratorio Based on Stories from the performed at one of the numerous Viennese salons. Bible is based on passages from the Old Testament. “Notes by Nan Washburn” Mendelssohn-Hensel draws upon pre-Baroque composition style and expands her own compositional University and began to explore the territory between language. The scoring is more abundant than her Chinese tradition and mainstream western modernism. earlier cantatas. At times modal harmonies create an Her many compositions include orchestral, chamber, "archaic" atmosphere for the biblical texts. This and choral music and concerti for viola, piano, oratorio is the third of three church works she percussion, cello, organ, saxophone quartet, oboe, flute hugin, sheng, and other Chinese instruments. She has composed in rapid succession in 1831. taught at the Peabody Institute and was composer-in- www.sheetmusicplus.com residence with the Women’s Philharmonic, Chanticleer,

and Aptos Creative Center in San Francisco (1993-96). Suite en Forme de Valses, Interlude et Valse Lente She is a professor at the University of Missouri at Kansas Melanie Bonis (1858-1937) City.

Melanie Bonis was educated under the restrictions of Of these folk songs, the composer says, “I learned to 19th century Catholic morality. At 17, she enrolled at sing hundreds of Chinese folk songs collected from the Paris Conservatoire, where she learned piano, more than twenty provinces and fifty ethnic groups and organ, and composition, but her parents forced her went to countryside to collect original folk music every into a marriage of convenience with a wealthy year… I learned all songs by heart and sang them back in industrialist. After years as wife, mother, socialite, and the exams every week. They melted in my blood and mistress of a large household, she re-emerged into the became my natural music language. The more I walk world of music and eventually wrote more than 300 into the music life, the more I treasure the rich culture I works. Her name often appears as Mel Bonis. Between have learned from my homeland. “ 1900 and 1910, Bonis enjoyed a certain fame on the Paris musical scene. Saint-Saens said, "I would never have believed that a woman could be capable of The Journey of Phillis Wheatley writing that.” However, in the latter part of her life, Nkeiru Okoye, Music (b 1975) Bonis was physically and psychologically depressed. Caroliva Herron (b 1947) and Nkeiru Okoye, Text She continued to compose, but in obscurity. She wrote Nkeiru Okoye, a native New Yorker of African-American in her memoirs: "My great sorrow: never to hear my music.” Information from her great-granddaughter, Xavier and Nigerian descent, began writing music at age 13. Saumon She studied at the Manhattan School of Music, Oberlin Conservatory of Music and holds a master’s and Ph.D. The cycle of three pieces entitled Suite en Forme de from Rutgers. Nkeiru has received numerous Valse (Suite in Waltz Form) is written in the “salon” commissions and awards. Her opera Harriet Tubman style of the period, with charm and finesse. The was premiered by American Opera Projects with composition contains four pieces: Ballabile, Danse commissioning support from the National Endowment sacrée Sherzo-valse, and Interlude et Valse lente. It for the Arts. Her Invitation to a Die-In (2017) pays was published in 1898 by Leduc in three different tribute to unarmed African American men who have versions: solo piano, piano duet, and orchestra. The been killed by police officers, and was commissioned by orchestral version is thought to be the original. the Mt. Holyoke College Orchestra. Her in-progress commissions are Tales from the Briar Patch, a folk

Chinese Folksongs opera, and an orchestral work for the Charlotte Chen Yi (b 1953) Symphony. www.nkeiruokoye.com Phillis Wheatley was the first published African- Chen Yi was born in Guangzhou in 1953 into a cultured American poet. She was captured into slavery in family and began violin lessons as a small child. Then came the Cultural Revolution. At fifteen she was sent to Senegal/Gambia, West Africa at the age of seven or a rural area and assigned to tough manual labor. She eight and purchased in Boston “for a trifle” by Susanna was able to take her violin and used the Chinese Wheatley, wife of a prominent tailor, who recalled that peasants’ culture to expand her musical knowledge. Phillis was nearly naked and so young she was losing her When she was 25, she began studies at the Central front teeth. Because Phillis was a bright child, the Conservatory, where she collected Chinese folk songs in Wheatleys taught her to read and write. Nine years the countryside. After eight years, Yi entered Columbia later, her first poem was published, an elegy that brought her international fame.

www.poetryfoundation.org

Okoye has written, room provided emotional catharsis – and fun. While a Phillis would have heard drums from her childhood in Senegal. These would contrast sharply with the drum university student, she began singing with the “Miami cadences of soldiers in colonial era Boston. Walking Latin Boys,” which became Miami Sound Machine. Her through town, Phillis would have observed her fellow breakthrough was the song “Conga” in 1985, which led Africans, toiling along Boston’s docks. Music they created to to her current career as singer, composer, writer, and make the day go faster would be the precursors to blues, businesswoman. She wrote “Let’s Get Loud” with Kiki jazz, and gospel. Additionally, having been adopted into the Santander for herself, but passed it along to Jennifer affluent home of John and Susannah Wheatley, Phillis Lopez because she felt Lopez would put a new spin on undoubtedly had exposure to classical era music. Her it. The song is often said to be Lopez’s signature. writings mention dancing in ballrooms …she must have been familiar with the waltz and other period compositions. Listeners encounter the characters and events shaping Born This Way Phillis’ life as unique themes, each associated with a Stefani Germanotta (Lady Gaga) (b 1986) different orchestral instrument or ensemble. Since Phillis remains a child of Africa, the drums of her homeland are Lady Gaga was in Liverpool on tour in 2010 when she never far behind. wrote “Born This Way” in ten minutes with Jeppe Laursen. She calls it a “magical message” song and compared the

That Poker Rag (1909) process to an immaculate conception. She said, “The Charlotte Blake (1885-1979) nexus of 'Born This Way' and the soul of the record reside in this idea that you were not necessarily born in one Charlotte Blake, composer of waltzes, marches, and moment. You have your entire life to birth yourself into ragtime music, was the oldest of six children born in becoming the ultimate potential vision that you see for you.” Considered an anthem by the LGBTQ community, 1885 in Ohio. At age 18, she worked as a writer and the song also supports other minorities. The Born This arranger for Jerome H. Remick. Her first published Way Foundation is committed to supporting the wellness composition “King Cupid” appeared in 1903 under the of young people and empowering them to create a kinder name C. Blake and was followed by over 40 others. Only and braver world. after she was 21 was her full named published. Although teaching piano was considered an appropriate occupation for women at the time, there weren’t many Sweet Woman women who wrote popular music. But some of those Cris Williamson, music & Jennifer Wysong, lyrics few were very adept at the syncopated rhythms of Cris helped change the face of popular music before ragtime and began composing. Blake was actively indie labels were the norm and women had any real composing until 1919. After retiring from the music access to the industry. “Sweet Woman” was part of business, she worked as a clerk at Douglas Aircraft The Changer and the Changed, first released in 1975. Company for two decades. It is also included in the album Lesbian Concentrate. “That Poker Rag” was one of her most popular pieces. In Jennifer Wysong’s lyrics make it a song of longing, and the mid 1970’s Max Morath’s recording, “The Ragtime is written in a major key that lends an aura of hope. Women” provided new exposure for “That Poker Rag”. The song has roots in folk with a gentle rhythmic She died in California in 1979, age 94. syncopation. Says Bonnie Raitt, "The first time I heard Cris' music, it was like hearing honey dripped on a

cello... Cris has been a whole lot of women's heroes -- Let’s Get Loud including mine." Gloria Estefan (b 1957) The Changer And The Changed, remains one of the Gloria Estefan came to the US from Havana as a toddler best-selling independent releases of all time. Cris's with her family when Fidel Castro came to power. As a work is embraced by women and sampled in hip-hop, child she wrote poetry and learned guitar, which she used by midwives welcoming life into the world, and disliked. But music became a solace when she was a by bedside hospice singers. This arrangement of teenager responsible for the care of her disabled father “Sweet Woman” was written by Mary Watkins and younger sister. She refused to cry, so singing in her expressly for the 2018 NWMF Orchestra.

Prior to the Orchestra Concert, our string section joined the 2018 NWMF Chorus, directed by Renee Janski, in performing:

Moea Thullamele Hae (My Soul Longs For Home) Traditional Lesotho song arr Sharon Katz and Adrian Taylor

This is a traditional call-and-response song that South African musician Sharon Katz learned in 1978 while she was teaching in a remote village in the country of Lesotho. The song expresses the feelings of the schoolchildren who had walked for 2 to 3 days, carrying their suitcases and blankets on their heads, to attend the school. It also reflects the emotions of many South Africans who had been forced into exile because of the brutalities of the Apartheid regime and who longed to return home. In 1997, Sharon created this work, orchestrating it with Adrian Taylor. South Africa’s then all-white Natal Philharmonic Orchestra performed the piece with Sharon Katz & The Peace Train’s multicultural choir, band, and dancers. It was the first time the country’s orchestra performed African music, and the production received rave reviews. www.SharonKatz.com

ORCHESTRA & PERSONNEL

VIOLIN I Brynn Albanese - FLUTE TIMPANI Concert Maestra Dawn Lawler Marcia Gallas Jeannine Anderson Kaia Skaggs Valerie Sanders PERCUSSION Olga Draguieva OBOE Lana Hantzsch Amber Dolphin Laura Medisky Phylshawn Johnson

Elena Ross VIOLIN II CLARINET Carol Carlson Diane Heffner HAND DRUMS Amanda Suckow Kathryne Pirtle Wahru

Catherine Byrd BASSOON PIANO Betsy Lippitt Carol Rosing Susan Gaeddert

VIOLA Mary Watkins (on Williamson) F HORN Alexis Carreon Anne Aley Narrator - Phillis Wheatley Marie Pauls Ingrid Mullane on Okoye Jennifer Paulson Carla Carter, Ph.D.

TRUMPET CELLO Jessica Jensen Laurie Jarski Vocal on “Sweet Woman,” Megan Aley Cris Williamson Rachel Alexander TROMBONE CONTRABASS Emily Rozanski Susanne DiVincenzo Christy Swartz

Orchestra Staff Diane Heffner – Jazz Ensemble Coordinator Sarah Gillespie – Recital Pre Festival Coordinator Melodie Griffis – Recital Site Coordinator, Jazz Ensemble Assistant Cindy Redman – Orchestra Assistant Leslie D. Judd – Orchestra Producer Nan Brooks – Program Editor Kaia Skaggs and Susanne DiVincenzo – Editor Proof Team Thank you Alexis Carreon – Orchestra Personnel Coordinator

Nan Harrison Washburn

first came to national attention as a co-founder, Artistic Director, and Associate Conductor of the San Francisco-based Women’s Philharmonic. A leading authority and advocate for orchestral works by women, she has won awards for her engaging performances and fresh approach to concert programming. She has received the Distinguished Service Award from New York Women Composers; the Outstanding Local Hero Award from KQED, San Francisco; and the Jeanine C. Rae Award from NWMF. Nan is in her 19th season as Music Director of the Michigan Philharmonic, which has received several prestigious grants and honors. She has conducted Kay Gardner’s Ouroboros and Mary Watkins’ The Initiate at the 1994 and 2016 National Women’s Music Festival.

THE ORCHESTRA

Yzafa and Istmo Tango Trio. Amber co-founded Music con Brio, Alexis Carreon an after school program for grade Amanda Suckow school students, and now serves on the Board of Directors. She teaches privately and has served has performed for three decades is a classical violinist who loves as adjunct faculty at University of as a soloist and with chamber and folk music and writes love songs Wisconsin – Platteville and Viterbo symphony orchestras. She has on her ukulele. She grew up in University. toured internationally and Michigan and grew into herself in performed for four U.S. Honolulu. Amanda is a member of presidents, Her Majesty Queen the Sheboygan Symphony Elizabeth II, The President of Orchestra and plays in Milwaukee Anne Aley China, and at Oprah’s 50th birthday bands Brandenburg 6 and Tangled celebration. Alexis has toured, Lines. She has been teaching performed and recorded with violin, viola, piano, guitar and Aretha Franklin, Bonnie Raitt, John ukulele for the past 15 years and Tesh, Rod Stewart, Tony Bennett, currently teaches music at James Galway, David Foster, Milwaukee Area Technical College, has played in Canadian orchestras Wayne Newton, Suzanna Guzman, Milwaukee Sign Language School, and ensembles and freelanced in Barry Manilow, Herbie Hancock, and El Sistema Ravinia. New York City. In Madison, she Stanley Clarke and Chick Corea. performs with the Madison Alexis performed Kay Gardner’s A Symphony Orchestra and is a Rainbow Path in 2012 at NWMF. member of the Oakwood Chamber Amber Dolphin Players. She has performed at the Yale Summer School of Music, Aspen Music Festival, and the directs the creative Strings Alexandria Festival of the Lakes. Collective at Beloit College. She Anne has been outreach program performs with the Pecatonica manager for the University of String Quartet as well as Charanga Wisconsin-Madison Summer Agozá (Cuban dance music). She Music Clinic precollege programs has performed with area for young musicians, and symphony orchestras and the coordinated Winds of Wisconsin, a Argentine tango groups Quinteto premier youth wind ensemble.

Orchestra Novo. Brynn is a

member of Café Musique world

music ensemble. She has a remote

Betsy Lippitt recording business for film score Carol Rosing writers and singer-songwriters,

offers online violin lessons

was first introduced to the internationally, and offers a

women’s music industry in the mobile workshop, Brynn

late 1970’s while performing with Albanese’s Violin Practice is the principal bassoonist in the longtime music partner, Therese Technique Boot Camp. Beloit-Janesville Symphony and Edell. She has appeared at the the Oshkosh Symphony, National Women’s Music Festival, contrabassoonist in the Madison Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival, Symphony, and second bassoon in the New England Women’s Carol Carlson the Wisconsin Wind Orchestra. Musical Retreat, and Degrees of She has performed with numerous Freedom, among other venues. is a member of Duo Mendota, the orchestras and ensembles in the She sings, plays violin and guitar Pecatonica String Quartet, and the Midwest and internationally. She and arranges music. Betsy has Dubuque Symphony Orchestra. serves on the faculties at two received an artist grant (City of Carol is Executive Director/co- campuses of the University of Cincinnati), won a Cincinnati founder of Music con Brio, Inc., Wisconsin and at Beloit College Cammy Music Award, which provides high quality, and maintains a private teaching collaborated with choreographers, affordable, music lessons to studio. and created soundtracks for plays. culturally and socioeconomically

Betsy has added Sound Healing to diverse students from first her repertoire. through twelfth grade. She is a

member of Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Catherine Byrd Kappa Phi, Pi Kappa Lambda, and

Sigma Alpha Iota professional and

honorary organizations.

Brynn Albanese studied viola and German at U.C. Santa Cruz, then went to work in the “real world.” During

Carla Carter, this time, she played viola in the Concert Maestra, began studying Ph.D. Community Women’s Orchestra the violin at age four. She has founded by Nan Washburn, a been concertmaster for the project of the Women’s Annapolis Symphony, the Boston is a writer, performance artist, and Philharmonic. She eventually Philharmonic, and the Tanglewood educator who is no stranger to worked in administration for Festival Leonard Bernstein unapologetically living freely. Her various non-profits. Catherine Memorial Concerts. She has poetry has won National Slam provides bookkeeping and played and toured with the Boston titles, the Fifth Annual Gwendolyn administration support for the Symphony, Boston Pops, and Brooks Open Mic Competition, Michigan Philharmonic. After a Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra. and the Behind Our Mask Annual decade-or-so break from string Internationally, Brynn played with Slam. Her first book, Body playing, she decided to switch to the Residentie Orkest in The Language, was nominated for a violin, occasionally playing with Hague, the Rotterdam Lambda Literary Award. Her one- the Michigan Philharmonic. Philharmonic, and the woman show is titled, Living Large Catherine has also found herself Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. in a Shrinking America. She has helping out the percussion section Currently in California, she is co- studied goddess dances of many of the Michigan Philharmonic concertmaster of the Symphony of countries and developed a Youth Orchestra and learning the Vines and concertmaster of contemporary approach for basic drum set. Opera San Luis Obispo and women to become more present

in their bodies. www.cccarterpoet.com pagode; Metabaque, fusing Brazilian maracatu rhythm with funk and hip-hop; Panchromatic Christianne Steel drum band; and Purple Swartz Diane Heffner Veins, the Essential Prince Tribute band. performs regularly in the Madison area with the Capitol City Band, the Madison Savoyards, and the Emily Paul Dietrich Jazz Ensemble. She Rozanski is a Boston-based freelance also teaches young trombonists in clarinetist and teacher on modern her studio. Christianne holds a and historical instruments. She master’s in trombone plays with the Handel & Haydn performance from the University is a music educator and free-lance Society; Arcadia Players; Boston of Wisconsin-Madison. trombonist in the Milwaukee and Baroque Orchestra; Philharmonia Chicago areas. She has performed Baroque Orchestra (San with Summit Brass (Denver), the Francisco); Pacific Musicworks Powder River Symphony (Seattle); “Rumbarocco” Latin (Wyoming), and the Billings Dawn Lawler Jazz-Baroque fusion ensemble; Symphony (Montana). She and Eudamonia, a Purposeful appears regularly with the Star Period Band; Dinosaur Annex Gate Orchestra, Milwaukee Music Ensemble; Alea III, and Solar Trombone Choir, and several big Winds, among others. She is a band jazz bands. Emmy is also a plays with the Wisconsin Chamber member of Boston’s only all- visual and teaching artist and Orchestra and Madison Symphony women big band, The Mood illustrated Mr. Fitch Joins the Orchestra. She was artist-in- Swings Orchestra. Diane serves on Band, a children’s book about the residence with the Wingra the applied faculty at Tufts trombone. Woodwind Quintet at UW University and the All-Newton

Madison, a semifinalist in the 2006 Music School. She holds a master’s

National Flute Association Young in music with honors at New

Artist Competition, and winner of England Conservatory of Music. Ingrid the 2004 James Pappoutsakis Mullane Memorial Solo Flute Competition

in Boston. She has performed with

the Dubuque Symphony, the New Elena Ross is an active music educator and England Philharmonic, the horn performer in Illinois and Hingham Symphony, the Texas Wisconsin. She plays horn with the Festival Orchestra, the Token New Philharmonic of Glen Ellyn, Creek Chamber Music Festival, the Rockford Symphony, the and as the flutist for the Latin is a Madison based vocalist, Madison Symphony, and American group Sotavento. Dawn percussionist, and music Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra. teaches from her studio in instructor. In addition to her She also performs with brass Madison. western classical background, she quintets and Belles in the Back, a

has a passion for Brazilian styles, horn trio. She maintains a private including Afro-Brazilian music in horn studio and teaches general Rio de Janerio and Salvador do music at Martin Elementary Bahia, Brazil. She devotes her time School in Huntley, Illinois. She is a to coaching vocal ensembles and graduate of Western Illinois is a singer and percussionist in a University and Northern Arizona variety of groups including The University and is captivated and ©ursularoma.com Handphibians, Inc., a community- empowered by the sound of the based samba school; Grupo horn. Balança, featuring Brazilian samba

Jeannine Jessica Jensen Kathryne Pirtle Anderson

started playing violin 18 years ago and studied violin at Phillips began playing trumpet at the age is clarinetist of the Orion Academy in Massachusetts. She of 10 in her hometown of Ensemble in Chicago and principal played almost exclusively in Hortonville, Wisconsin. She clarinetist of the Lake Forest completed her doctorate in Symphony. She has also played orchestras before discovering the trumpet performance at the with other area orchestras. Her joys of fiddling and improvised University of Wisconsin-Madison, solo album is Works for music. She is a recording artist as where she was a member of the Unaccompanied Clarinet, the well as composer and performer, Wisconsin Brass Quintet, the Music of J.S. Bach. Kathryne plays electric violin with Certified faculty ensemble in residence. teaches and coaches clarinet Organic, and fiddles with the Kay Jessica currently instructs a pedagogy, chamber music Brothers. Jeannine is a violinist at private studio and is a member of literature, and non-profit The Woodsmiths and previously Chicago’s V3NTO, an award- organizational development. She appeared with Violet and the winning brass trio, as well as has served on the faculties of Undercurrents. Currently, she is various regional ensembles. Wheaton College Conservatory of pursuing a bachelor of arts in Music, Northern Illinois University, Music with a Jazz Certificate at the Bradley University, Indiana University of Missouri. Jeannine University and New Trier High School. Kathyrne has also co- teaches violin, viola and beginning Kaia Skaggs authored a book on nutrition cello. utilizing traditional foods and an e- book on healing acid reflux. www.performancewithoutpain.com

Jennifer Clare plays flute, alto flute, and piccolo. Paulson She studied flute performance at Vanderbilt University and cello Lana Hantzch performance at The University of Kansas. She has performed in is a violist, and a member of the numerous groups and as a soloist Madison Symphony Orchestra. promoting women composers. She plays fiddle with Graminy, the Kaia has performed at NWMF and is a senior at UW-Madison Kerosene Healers, and Milkhouse the Michigan Womyn’s Music majoring in percussion Radio. In addition to performing Festival and toured Israel with the performance and neurobiology. in regional orchestral and folk group Assis Harim. She She has diverse musical interests chamber music settings, she played flute and recorder in the and performs regularly with the collaborates with first live performance of Kay UW-Madison Symphony new/experimental music Gardner’s A Rainbow Path and Orchestra, Western Percussion ensembles based in Chicago, was a member of the orchestra Ensemble and World Percussion including Kyle Bruckmann’s for Gardner’s Ouroboros and Ensemble. Lana has also Wrack and Ken Vandermark’s Mary Watkins’ The Initiate, all performed as marimba soloist Audio One. Jennifer also teaches NWMF premiere performances. with the university concert choir at the Madison Music Foundry The reprisal of A Rainbow Path at and played in the orchestra for and works at Spruce Tree Music the 2012 NWMF was Kaia’s opera. She loves collaborating and Repair, where she repairs and dream. She is also known as a with other musicians and artists restores new and vintage string sound engineer. and values opportunities to play instruments. and teach in her community.

Mary Laura Medisky Marcia Gallas Watkins

Irene Young, photo is a founding member of the Black has composed instrumental music Marigold wind quintet and was the timpanist for Kay for individual performers, assistant director of the LunART Gardner’s Ouroboros in Cincinnati theatrical productions, films, Festival. She performs in the and has performed at numerous documentary videos, and Madison and Rockford symphony women’s music festivals, including symphony orchestras since 1986. orchestras, con vivo! chamber NWMF. She has performed as Her music has been performed by ensemble, and Fresco Opera. Dr. drummer and percussionist with the Berkeley Symphony Chamber Medisky presents Alexander California orchestras such as Orchestra, Richmond (VA) Technique workshops and oboe Novato Lyric Opera, Comedia Dell’ Chamber Orchestra, Palo Alto master classes at music Opera, and Marin Civic Light Philharmonic, The Women’s institutions, festivals and Opera. In Cincinnati, she was Philharmonic Orchestra, and The conferences in the United States timpanist and percussionist for the New Black Music Repertory and South America. She is gaining Seven Hills Sinfonietta and Ensemble of Chicago, among national recognition for her performed with MUSE, Cincinnati others. Mary was an arranger and creativity and innovation in Women’s Choir and Therese Edell. producer on many early Olivia teaching in her studio. Laura has Marcia was co-executive director Records recordings. In 1978, her served on faculty at area colleges. with her partner, Pat Christie, for jazz fusion album, “Something Her solo album, Personalities: the DIVA Jazz Orchestra’s 25th CD Moving” earned a position on the 21st-century American Music for Project, which has spent many ‘most-played’ radio charts. Mary Oboe is available on the Centaur weeks at the top of the jazz charts. and Kay Gardner performed a Records label. series of improvisations at the

National Women’s and Michigan

Womyn’s Music festivals,

culminating in a CD, Dancing Marie Pauls Souls, much of which was

recorded live at both festivals. The

Laurie A. Jarski Women in the Arts Board awarded

our first commission to Mary for is a freelance musician and The Initiate in 2016. founding member of Arbor is an active musician with over 30 Ensemble, an all-women classical years of experience as cellist, chamber music group dedicated to guitarist and composer. She is also the promotion of women an entrepreneur with music stores composers. She frequently Megan Aley in Northville and Kalamazoo. performs with the Madison

Laurie teaches viola, bass, Symphony Orchestra and has held mandolin, guitar, music theory, principal positions in the Illinois and composition. She states, Valley and Beloit-Janesville

“Musical expression is a pathway Symphony Orchestras. She enjoys performing classical, to the oracle of the soul. Having a performs with the acoustic rock musical theater, and jazz. She has role in creating that path for the group Evan Riley Band, with whom performed with the Madison student is one of the greatest she has recorded two original Symphony Orchestra, Four rewards a teacher can albums. As a committed string Seasons Theater, University of experience.” educator, Marie maintains a Wisconsin-Madison Opera, private studio and has taught at Madison Savoyards, Middletown the American Suzuki Institute. Community Orchestra and many

more ensembles. After earning

her degree in music performance the U.S., Olga has played with chorus, Sistrum. She is a and education, she was an Tampa Opera, Southwest Florida collaborative performer and orchestra manager for the Juilliard Symphony Orchestra, and Florida session musician, song-writer, School and Music Academy of the Orchestra. She is a member of the arranger, and musical dreamer. West. She maintains a private Madison Symphony Orchestra, Rachel first appeared at NWMF in teaching studio of middle and high and regularly performs with the 1979 in an orchestra organized by school students in Madison. Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and Kay Gardner and conducted by Elgin Symphony. Olga is also a Antonia Brico. She has since violin instructor at Music con Brio. performed here in a number of She has made the world premiere bands in a variety of musical styles recording of Pieces for Solo Violin and genres. She writes, “Playing in Melodie Griffis by Bulgarian Composers. the festival orchestra two years ago and again this year is an honor, a great pleasure, and a return to my musical roots.”

Phylshawn has appeared several times at Johnson NWMF, including as a member of Big Bad Gina. She studied guitar, voice, arranging, and composition Sarah Gillespie at the University of Arkansas. has played drum set for 25 years Following graduation, she and is known to festival audiences performed in multiple musical as the drummer for Violet and the groups, both in the US and holds a doctorate of musical arts Undercurrents. Her first album, internationally. She is a faculty in horn performance from the “Soul Heart”, featured her as a member at the University of University of Wisconsin-Madison. composer and a multi- Arkansas in the Department of Her doctoral research was recently instrumentalist and singer. She Sociology and Criminal Justice. published in the journal Medical performed at the Lincoln Center She loves encouraging young Problems of Performing Artists. Institute in an all-female Nina students to recognize the She hosts a private studio of Simone Tribute. Phylshawn insidiousness of structural students aged 9-90 and believes teaches at Columbia Academy of inequality and to understand that music education is for Music and Access Percussion in how today’s social justice everyone and for life. Sarah is Fayetteville, Arkansas and is the movements are continuing the acting principal horn of the La adjunct drum set instructor for the long struggle for change. Melodie Crosse Symphony Orchestra and University of Missouri jazz also teaches guitar and performs with many other department. She owns and performs with various ensembles. symphonic and pit orchestras in manages the independent record Wisconsin and Iowa. She co- label, The Nation of Love. She is founded the Arête Brass Quintet also chair of the music non-profit, and the Odyssey Wind Quintet. Compass Inc. Her last release was She also is an advocate for women an EP titled, “Across the Tracks”. Olga Draguieva composers and has premiered

works at the National Women’s

Music Festival and the

International Women in Brass Rachel Conference. Alexander

has won violin competitions in

Bulgaria and the U.S. At 16 she became a member of the Gustav began exploring the piano as soon Mahler Youth Orchestra and as she could sit up on the piano played in concert tours of Europe bench. Her love affair with the and Asia. In Bulgaria, she served as cello began in her teens. Rachel is associate concertmaster of the a teacher, choral conductor, and New Symphony Orchestra-Sofia. In founder of the Lansing women's

Women’s Big Band Girls’ Jazz Camp Chorus since 2002. Wahru is at the California Jazz known for her ability to get Susan Gaeddert Conservatory. Susanne continues everybody drumming. Wahru is with Alive! in performances and the Co-coordinator of workshops. MultiCultural/Women of Color Series. Drumwahru.weebly.com

completed a doctorate in musical arts in collaborative piano at the UW-Madison School of Music and Valerie Clare gave birth to her second child on Sanders the same day in 2007. That year, she was a winner in the Shain competition for piano and is a Milwaukee native currently woodwind duos and premiered working in Madison. She earned John Harbison’s Vocalism I and II her graduate degree in orchestral at Pepperdine University. She artistry at the Guildhall School of studied harpsichord for several Music in London, studying side by years and frequently plays side with the London Symphony continuo in local performances. Orchestra. She is a member of the Susan was the pianist for Mary Madison Symphony Orchestra and Watkins’ The Initiate at NWMF in the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra 2017 and Babe! An Olympian and freelances as a performer and Musical in 2017. She is a freelance teacher throughout Wisconsin and accompanist, teaches private the Midwest. Valerie is a piano lessons, and adjudicates passionate advocate for youth piano competitions and musicians’ health through festivals. contemporary arts pedagogy, ASCAP, ACF performing arts psychology, and socially engaged practice. [email protected] www.Lesliedjuddcomposer.com

Composer Susanne Arranger, Engraver/Copyist DiVincenzo Score Layout, Part Extraction Lead Sheets, Orchestrations

Irene Young, photo

is a founding member of the

all-women jazz quintet, Alive!, who have performed at many National Wahru

Women’s Music Festivals. She also played bass in the festival orchestra is an accomplished drummer on for Mary Watkins’ The Initiate in the djembe, ashiko, bongos, 2016, and for Babe! An Olympian congas, and dunun. She is the Musical in 2017. Susanne plays cello founder, director, and leader of Printing by: and bass in the Bay Area Rainbow Sistah Ngoma, a professional Symphony. She teaches with the multicultural women’s drum ELM (Enriching Lives through group, and the Columbus Community Drummers. She has Music) Program which provides musical instruction and experience facilitated drum circles for NWMF www.WHITERABBITCOPY.COM to Hispanic children. She is the for over sixteen years and Bloomington, IN bass instructor with the Montclair conducted the Festival Drum

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The NWMF Orchestra thanks all of our contributors:

The many Anonymous who keep the music alive through their generous financial support

The thousands of Women Composers, Orchestral Musicians, Conductors and Music Directors, who through obstacles strive to persist

The Atrium Recital Musicians, and Jazz Ensemble

Heid Music, Edgewood College, and Broughton Music, for the rental instrument donations

Women In the Arts, National Women’s Music Festival, who believe we shall be heard.

Like Our Foremothers, We Persist

Special Thanks to Wahru for continuing to grow the heartbeat of our festival.

Thank you for supporting live music.

Women in the Arts, Inc. P.O. Box 1427 Indianapolis, IN 46206 nwmf.info