The NWMF Orchestra is led by Music Director and Conductor Nan Washburn. The NWMF Orchestra series celebrates the diversity of women’s musical expression through the presentation of works by Women Composers past and present.
The National Women’s Music Festival Orchestra will be performing on Saturday’s Spotlight stage. This time we’ll have a “mini orchestra” (or perhaps think of it as “big chamber music”) with 12 of our talented musicians presenting music from the past and present, with another hot-off-the-press world premiere. Featuring 18th century composers Maria Margherita Grimani and Wilhelmine von Bayreuth, 19th century composer Emilie Mayer, a work by Germaine Tailleferre from 1918, music by one of our favorite film composers, Rachel Portman and two pieces each by our very own festival favorite composers, Mary Watkins and Alice Gomez. Alice will be on hand for the premiere of her new arrangement of an exciting new work, Yanaguana, and she’ll also be joining our ensemble as percussionist! Mark your festival schedule as this is another not to be missed performance! Hope to see you there!
—Nan Washburn, NWMF Orchestra Music Director & Conductor
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.