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Africana Music

For additional information specifically on Africana Music, take a look at our guide Africana Music

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African American Composer Initiative (AACI)
African American Composer Initiative (AACI) has developed a repertoire resource for performing musicians. Sections include works for pianists, for singers, and for chamber players.
...And We Were Heard
This site gives underrepresented composers a platform to have their music heard. Composers that submit works to … And We Were Heard are matched with top-notch
wind bands and engage in collaborative recording sessions. The resulting audio tracks are hosted on our site along with innovative ideas of how to support diverse voices in music.
Alliance for Women Film Composers
A community of composers and colleagues who strive to support and celebrate the work of women composers through advocacy and education.

BIPOC and Women Composers
Recently Published Works by BIPOC and Women Composers looks at pieces published in what we consider the contemporary period (1945-current) of music history. Composers are organized by identity and then alphabetically last name. There are often direct links to OBIS records or publisher information. In addition to the name of the composer and the title of the piece, they provide instrumentation and some additional notes.
Adapted from “Music Received” in Notes: Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association, Vol. 77, No. 3, Compiled by Kathleen A. Abromeit.

Chamber Music America: The Composers Equity Project
The Composers Equity Project
A Database of African/Black, Latinx, Asian/South Asian, Arab/Middle Eastern, and Native American, Women, and Gender Non-Conforming Composers.
Composer Diversity Project: Works Diversity Database
The Institute for Composer Diversity is committed to the celebration, education, and advocacy of music created by composers from historically underrepresented genders, racial, ethnic, and cultural heritages, and sexual orientations as well as disabled composers.
DONNE: Women in Music
Learn stories of so many neglected women composers. Contains live interviews with women composers making their mark in the music world.
Institute for Composer Diversity
The Institute for Composer Diversity works to encourage the discovery, study, and performance of music written by composers from underrepresented groups.
The Kapralova Society: Women in Music
An affiliate member of the International Alliance for Women in Music, the Society's mission is to promote interest in Kapralova and other women in music through scholarly research, education, and special projects, often in partnership with schools of music, public broadcasters, publishing houses, and other organizations.
Kassia Database: The Women's Art Song Database
The Kassia Database is a resource geared toward aiding singers, instructors of voice, pianists, researchers, and music lovers to discover and celebrate art song by women composers. The database includes songs from the Baroque period through the 21st century, and have been categorized by level, voice type, language, composer, and composer dates

Latin American Women
Recently Published Works by Latin American Women looks at pieces published in what
we consider the contemporary period (1945-current) of music history. Composers are
organized alphabetically by last name. There are often direct links to OBIS records or publisher websites. In addition to the name of the composer and the title of the piece, they provide instrumentation and some additional notes.
Adapted from “Music Received” in Notes: Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association, Vol. 78, No. 2, Compiled by Kathleen A. Abromeit.

Many Many Women: An Index of Over 1000 Composers, Improvisers, and Sonic Artists
Focuses on women making various kinds of experimental/avant garde music. Some of these artists may also work within more mainstream forms, but they are included here because of their other work that is more challenging.
Mexican Composers, Living
This list features contemporary self-published Mexican composers, who were either born in Mexico or had the large part of their musical upbringing there. Because these are self-published composers, an email and/or personal website link is listed for each as a point of contact.
Music by Black Composers (MBC)
Dedicated to helping to bring greater diversity to the ranks of classical music performers, composers, and audiences by making the music of Black composers available to everyone. MBC’s Living Composers Directory is designed for those seeking to commission; for performers, conductors, and concert programmers seeking existing music; and for other researchers and scholars of contemporary classical music.

Musical Settings of Black Poetry
Recently Published Musical Settings of Black Poetry is great if you want to learn more about Black poets and Black composers. This list is organized by poet in bold text, then composers and the title of their piece. There is additional information like instrumentation and a link to the OBIS record or publication website. Note, that while all poets in this index are Black, not all composers are.
Adapted from “Music Received” in Notes: Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association, Vol. 79, No. 3, Compiled by Gwen Gemmell and Kathleen A. Abromeit

No Broken Links
Discover solo and chamber repertoire for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone, and horn. The directories focus specifically on the work of women, transgender & gender non-conforming individuals, and/or Black, Indigenous, or persons of color.

Queer Composers
Queer Composers is a database that shares works by composers who identify as Queer
or a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. There are links to the OBIS record and
additional information about each piece including instrumentation, sometimes date of
publication and some notes about the piece.
Adapted from “Music Received” in Notes: Quarterly Journal of the Music Library
Association, Vol. 77, No. 4 and Vol. 78, No. 1, Compiled by Kathleen A. Abromeit
Self-published Mexican Composers
Works by Contemporary Self-Published Mexican Composers share the composers name and title of their works as well as the instrumentation. All composers listed in this database are considered contemporary (1945-current). There are often links to their publications and personal websites or ways to contact the composer and purchase a score.
Adapted from “Music Received” in Notes: Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association, Vol. 80, No. 4, Compiled by Katharina Mueller
Ukrainian Publishers and Dedicatees
This is a great list for anyone looking to add more Ukrainian composers and musical topics to their repertoire. It is split into two categories, a list of Ukrainian composers with titles and instrumentations, and a list of compositions dedicated to the people of Ukraine (also includes composer name and title of composition).
Adapted from “Music Received” in Notes: Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association, Vol. 80, No. 2, Compiled by Kathleen A. Abromeit

Women’s Philharmonic Advocacy
We celebrate the vast range of orchestral music by women, and encourage orchestras to program it! All around us people are suddenly aware of long-ingrained sexist practices, and questioning their entrenched status. We work to reveal the centuries of music by women, much of it lost to history due to gender bias – and help provide information and resources to make that music available.

Choral-Specific Resources

Beyond Elijah Rock: The Non-Idiomatic Choral Music of Black Composers List of the non-idiomatic choral music of black composers. This refers to the original concert music that is not part of the traditional idiomatic canon associated with black musicians. That canon includes spirituals, gospel, jazz, hip-hop, and rap among others. There will be pieces that may be based on spirituals or gospel tunes but are, at their core, original songs.
Black and Brown Composers in Baroque Latin America: An Introduction to the Repertoire
An introduction to and survey of repertoire by composers of color and native-born South American composers from Brazil, Peru, Cuba, Mexico, Guatemala, and Bolivia from 1600 to 1800, with an emphasis on villancicos, cantatas, and other works for voices and chamber ensemble.

Instrument-Specific Lists

Chamber works by women featuring the Trumpet
This bibliography is from Women of Note website
The Contribution of Twentieth Century African American Composers t Composers to the Solo T o the Solo Trumpet Reper rumpet Repertoire: A Discussion and e: A Discussion and Analysis of Selected works by: Ulysses S. Kay, Adolphus C. Hailstork, Regina Harris
This repertoire guide is Jr. Orrin Wilson's 2011 dissertation.
Flute Music by Black Composers
Crowdsourced spreadsheet of flute music by Black composers.

Organ Music by African American Composers
Organ Music by African American Composers is a great list for any organist. This spreadsheet shares the name of the composer (alphabetized by last name), the title of the work, and links to either the OBIS record or publisher.
Adapted from “Music Received” in Notes: Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association, Vol. 80, No. 3, Compiled by Kathleen A. Abromeit

Organ Works by Composers from Africa and the African Diaspora
Extensive bibliography of repertoire for organ.
Percussion Pieces by Black Composers
Crowdsourced spreadsheet of percussion works by Black composers

Percussion Music by Women Composers
Recent Published Percussion Music by Women Composers look at pieces published in
What we consider the contemporary period (1945-current) of music history. Composers
Are organized alphabetically by last name. There are often direct links to OBIS records
Or publisher websites. In addition to the name of the composer and the title of the piece,
They provide instrumentation and some additional notes.
Adapted from “Music Received” in Notes: Quarterly Journal of the Music Library
Association, Vol. 80, No. 1, Compiled by Kathleen A. Abromeit

A Seat at the Piano
A Seat at the Piano promotes and advocates for the inclusion, study, and performance of a more equitably representative body of piano works. By creating a resource for musicians, pedagogues, and curious music appreciators, ASAP aims to broaden their knowledge of composers and their works.
A Seat At the Piano: Promoting Inclusion in Piano Repertoire
A crowdsourced spreadsheet of inclusion in piano repertoire.
The Sphinx Catalog of Latin-American Cello Works
The Sphinx Catalog of Latin American Cello Works has been created in order to facilitate the access to information related to the work of Latin American composers centered on the cello. It is the most extensive source of its kind, with more than 2000 entries on the date of its release.

String Quartets by Black Composers
String Quartets by Black Composers is a great resource for a string quartet. Composers are organized by last name and include the title of their composition. There are links to OBIS records or to the publisher.
Adapted from “Music Received” in Notes: Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association, Vol. 79, No. 1, Compiled by Kathleen A. Abromeit

Theory-Specific Resources to Expand the Canon

Expanding the Music Theory Canon
The site contains more than 400 examples by women and/or people of color active primarily between c.1600 and 1925, arranged by theory topic. Additionally, there is a composer biography and (when possible) recording of each excerpt.
Music Theory Examples by BIPOC composers
This repository of examples by composers of color for use in the theory and aural skills curriculum. The music is categorized by unit, topic, and subtopic. The repository is crowdsourced by music theorists.
Music Theory Examples by Women
This is a database of excerpts and complete musical compositions by women composers. The music is categorized by theoretical concept for use in music education.