The National Women’s Music Festival Orchestra celebrates the diversity of women’s musical expression through the presentation of works by women composers past and present. The NWMF Orchestra Ensemble, a smaller group of our talented musicians, will perform as a conductorless “mini orchestra” (or perhaps think of it as “big chamber music”) on Saturday’s Spotlight stage. In various combinations, we will feature music by composers Elfrida Andrée, Louise Farrenc, Florence Price, Victoria Bond, Jessie Montgomery, and Valerie Coleman – our featured artist/composer in 2019. Continuing our history of actively collaborating with contemporary women composers, we are especially excited to present another world premiere – a new chamber work by Alyssa Morris. Mark your festival schedule as this is another not to be missed performance!
NWMF Orchestra History:
Led by award-winning music director and conductor Nan Washburn, the NWMF Orchestra celebrates the diversity of women’s musical expression through the presentation of works by women composers past and present. The first Festival Chamber Orchestra appeared in 1983 and notable performances included Gardner’s A Rainbow Path in 1988 and 2012 and Ouroboros: Seasons of Life – Women’s Passages in 1994. The NWMF Orchestra Women Composers Series has actively sought to collaborate with contemporary women composers and to bring them to the Festival. Recent examples include the commission and premiere of Remember for orchestra and women’s voices by Cara Haxo, The Initiate by Mary Watkins, presentation of The Journey of Phillis Wheatley by Nkeiru Okoye, and the works and artistry of composer and flutist Valerie Coleman. We also perform works by earlier women composers whose personal stories, creativity, talent, and perseverance are inspirational. Women composers, conductors, and performers continue to be vastly underrepresented within classical music and we are thrilled to present their work to you as an important part of our musical and cultural herstory.