Voices of Women: Materialities, Cultural Transfer and Musical Authorship

Music concert programs and festival stages rarely feature works composed by women, yet why does this persist? Why are women’s voices in music so understudied and underrepresented in the musical canon? What does this mean for women’s agency in their music? How can we contribute to facilitating a more inclusive space for women to flourish musically?

These are some of the questions and concerts motivating the Voices of Women (VOW) project. VOW project is an Erasmus+ funded joint project with the University of Groningen, the University of Stavanger, the Arctic University of Norway (Tromsø), and the University of Music Franz Liszt Weimar. The main purpose of this project is to raise cultural awareness of women’s musical and creative output, given the lack of attention paid not only in showcasing women’s compositions but also within academic and professional fields such as in forms of analysis, interpretation, and performance. By aiming to contextualize inclusivity, transnational education, and societal engagement in Europe’s relationship to the arts, VOW will provide innovative courses that will strengthen the connection between practice, research, and EU policy to provide more visibility but also opportunities for women’s voices in music.

The VOW project at the University of Groningen is an initiative of Dr. Janke Klok, Dr.h.c. Petra Broomans and Dr. Kristin McGee. In December 2022, the VOW project organizes a two-day symposium at the University of Groningen to explore this theme of authorship in relation to the sub-themes of music materialities and cultural transfer.

The programme include workshops, panels, keynotes, and a walking concert.

Read more about the conference and register through the conference website.