Choral Repertoire Resources

Historical Options:

 

A Modern Reveal: Songs and Stories of Women Composers

An online resource dedicated to promoting the vocal works and stories of historical female composers who have been overlooked for centuries (particularly historical composers). Each composer page includes recordings to explore.

 

Women Composer Database from Orange County Women’s Chorus

This searchable database has over 400 compositions by women composers listed.

 

Music Theory Examples by Women

An excellent resource for using music composed by women to explain music theory concepts.

 

Artemisia Editions

Publisher dedicated to music from the Italian convents of the 16th and 17th centuries. Most of the music was scored for SATB voicing and the website includes insight as to how the nuns sang the bass part. 

 

​

General Exploring Resources:

 

Donne: The Big List of Women Composers

Phenomenal. This list features more than 5,000 women composers from pre-medieval to 21st century singer-songwriters. You can filter your search to choral music and by era. When you access the composer’s page, be sure to click the “External Reference” button as it will send you to info on the composer or the composer’s website. This list would be ultimate resource if recording examples were included for each composer.

 

Empowering Silenced Voices Database (compiled by Chorosynthesis Singers)

You can search by social conscious themes to find options. 

 

Institute for Composer Diversity – Choral Database

This project has the potential to be that searchable database we are seeking, but it appears to still in the building process, but it almost 200 songs by women composers (you can search by a number of gender marginalized composers).

 

Choral Public Domain Library

You can narrow the search by women composers by clicking the link. CPDL is free!

 

Arkiv Frau und Musik 

An extensive spreadsheet of choral compositions by women composers from across the globe.

​

Canadian Women Composers

An extensive list of composers in Canada including a playlist and repertoire collection.

​

Major Choral Works by Women

A google doc with lists of major works

​

Choir Music by Women

This page offers some similar resources as listed here, but also has links to some ACDA conferences on the topic

​

So You Want to Sing Music by Women Composers: A Guide for Performers

This resource is located on the NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) and it is comprehensive with numerous chapters that host many links to explore the music, a chapter per genre which includes one for choral music as well as the historical and contemporary challenges of performing the music.  

​

Boulanger Initiative Database

This open-access Women and Gender Marginalized Composers Repertoire Database is launching March 13, 2023.  Boulanger Initiative advocates for women and all gender marginalized composers. We foster inclusivity and representation to expand and enrich the collective understanding of what music is, has been, and can be. We promote music composed by women through performance, education, research, consulting, and commissions.

 

​

Treble Choir Resources:

 

Repertoire Lists of Women Composers (as performed by Elektra Women’s Choir)

This list is an incredible resource of women composers, including many Canadian based composers.

 

Repertoire List from Vox Femina Los Angeles 

This list has a balanced offering of repertoire, with a dedication to women presenting composers.

 

Musica Secreta

This ensemble has shared several obscure and underperformed early repertoire. 

 

Annotated Dissertation by Dr. Shelbie Wahl: Choral Works for Women’s Voices Composed and Texted by Women

A comprehensive resource as there is considerable information included on each work. 

 

​

Sacred Music Resources:

 

Multitude of Voyces: Sacred Music by Women Composers

Published three anthology volumes of music by women composers (historical and living) to be used in a church setting. The website offers perusal scores and listening links to most of the repertoire.

 

Amplify Female Composers Project

The website has recordings of music composed by women for every day in Advent and Stations of the Cross. A great resource for church musicians.

 

Sarah MacDonald Choral Series

A new and most excellent resource with many incredible composers.

 

A Great Host of Composers: Women Composer Database

This site has a spreadsheet with a repertoire suggestion for each Sunday in the lectionary for Year B and C (church musicians – this incredible site is for you!)

 

​

Publishers:

 

Hildegard Publishing Company

A publisher dedicated to the works of women composers.

 

Kassia Choral Series (under Bank Musics Publications)

A choral series highlighting women composers.

 

Treble Clef Music Press

A fantastic resource of music by historical composers, but also historical repertoire specifically composed for soprano/alto voices.

 

See-a-Dot Music Publishing

The publisher has a wonderfully diverse set of composers to explore.

 

MusicSpoke

An artist-owned sheet music distribution. It is an excellent resource for exploring the works of living women-presenting composers.

 

Cypress Music Press

This publisher has a listing of all the women identifying composers they publish.

​

​

Commission a Living Composer:

Approach a composer to write a work or collaborate on the creation of a work for one of the ensembles you direct.  To reduce the cost of commissioning, you can enter into a commission consortium with other directors/ensembles. 

​