women in music 6

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18 Feb 2024
36

Jazz[edit]

Mary Lou Williams (1910–1981) was a pianist, composer and arranger who played jazz, classical and gospel music. She wrote hundreds of compositions and arrangements and recorded more than one hundred records.
Historically, the majority of well-known women performers in jazz have been singers, such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Diane Schuur and Dinah Washington. Culture Trip notes that women in jazz have been "too often confined to the role of chanteuse."[127] However, there are many instrumental performers. In some cases, these musicians are also composers and bandleaders:

There have also been all-female jazz bands such as The International Sweethearts of Rhythm and all-female orchestras such as the Hour of Charm Orchestra. Often, during World War II, these all women's groups would entertain the troops while the male musicians served. However, after the war, these girls groups were thrown aside, as male musicians returned and the public favored the "normalcy" it brought, and the over-sexualization of women in music returned.[128]
Some of these musicians helped shape jazz music and American culture. When June Norton was young, she wanted to pursue classical music, in hopes that one day she could join the opera. However, this did not seem possible, so she began to pursue popular music. Norton became the first black woman in the region of Washington, D.C., to appear singing in TV commercials marketed towards southern states. This led to her accomplishments of many awards including the 1962 Achievement Award from the National Association of Colored Women, the TV Personality of the Year award, the 1962 Emphasis Award from the National Association of Market Development, and the 1962 Singer of the Year Award from the YMCA. She later stepped away from the spotlight and began a career as a counselor and married Thomas C. Cuff. She spent the rest of her working years helping underprivileged youth and female prisoners.[128]
Another female pianist, composer, and vocalist made significant contribution to jazz and the American culture. Shirley Horn (1934–2005) recorded more than 25 albums and worked as a side musician for Stuff Smith, Toots Thielemans, Charlie Haden, and Oscar Peterson. She practiced at the Howard University Junior School of Music, and later received offers from Juilliard University and Xavier University, but opted to remain in Washington, D.C., marry, and have a child. She continued to tour and play gigs constantly. Her first recording was part of Stuff Smith's 1959 release, Cat on a Hot Fiddle. Her debut recording, Embers and Ashes, attracted a large amount of attention and helped her to realize she wanted to be a concert pianist after all. A few months after this, Miles Davis contacted Horn and told Village Vanguard in New York City that he wanted Horn to open for him, and that he refused to play if this was not a possibility. This is when Horn's fame and reputation began to rise. She continued to work with Mercury Records and Verve Records. She received many awards including a Grammy Award in 1999 for Best Jazz vocal album for I Remember Miles, five Washington Area Music Awards, an honorary music degree from the Berklee College of Music, and a 2004 NEA Jazz Master Fellowship and Award from the National Endowment for the Arts.[128]

Classical music[edit]

Instrumentalists in classical music may focus on one specific type of playing, such as solo recitals, solo concertos, chamber music, or performing as a member of an orchestra, or they may do different types. Some musicians who play orchestral instruments may do all of these types of performances. Instrumentalists in classical music may do both live performances for an audience and recordings. In some cases, classical performers may do mostly live performances. There has traditionally been a gendered aspect to playing instruments in classical music.
Many album covers for female classical musicians have photographs that emphasize the physical attractiveness of the performer, "often using risqué images."[129] According to Jessica Duchen, a music writer for London's The Independent, classical women musicians are "too often judged for their appearances, rather than their talent" and they face pressure "to look sexy onstage and in photos."[9] Duchen states that while "[t]here are women musicians who refuse to play on their looks,...the ones who do tend to be more materially successful."[9]

Orchestra[edit]

The Montreal Women's Symphony Orchestra in 1942
Historically, orchestras tended to be almost exclusively male, with the exception of the harp player, as the harp was considered a "women's instrument." A music newspaper editorial in 1917 in England encouraged orchestras to allow women to play the "lighter instruments", with the understanding that these women performers would relinquish their positions to men once WW I was over.[21] In the 1990s, to reduce the likelihood of gender bias, some orchestras began conducting auditions of potential new members behind a screen, so the audition panel could not see if it was a male or female performer. Historically, there has been a tendency for brass sections to be male, and some women brass players have alleged that there is gender bias against female brass players. A study in the 1980s found that women made up 36% of US orchestras; 30% in the United Kingdom, and 16% in East and West Germany.[130] Women tended to be hired by lower paid orchestras and they were less present in major orchestras.[130] In 1922, harpist Stephanie Goldner became the first female member of the New York Philharmonic.[131] One hundred years later, in 2022, the number of women members outnumbered the men in the Philharmonic.[132]
In the past, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (VPO) argued that "ethnic and gender uniformity" gave their orchestra a better sound.[130] Several male VPO musicians stated in a 1996 interview that classical music has "gender-defined qualities which can be most clearly expressed by male uniformity" in the orchestra.[130] One male VPO member stated that men "carry secrets that are involved with music and tones, just like in Australian aboriginal or Indian cultures where men play certain instruments, and not the women."[130] One male VPO performer stated that "pregnancy brings problems. It brings disorder. Another important argument against women is that they can bring the solidarity of the men in question. You find that in all men's groups."[130]
The Vienna Philharmonic did not accept women to permanent membership until 1997, far later than comparable orchestras (of the other orchestras ranked among the world's top five by Gramophone in 2008,[133] the last to appoint a woman to a permanent position was the Berlin Philharmonic.)[134] As late as February 1996, first flautist Dieter Flury told Westdeutscher Rundfunk that accepting women would be "gambling with the emotional unity (emotionelle Geschlossenheit) that this organism currently has."[135] In April 1996, the orchestra's press secretary wrote that "compensating for the expected leaves of absence" of maternity leave was a problem.[136]
Classical violinist Sarah Chang before performing a 2005 solo concert
In 1997, the orchestra was "facing protests during a [US] tour" by the National Organization for Women and International Association of Women in Music. Finally, "after being held up to increasing ridicule even in socially conservative Austria, members of the orchestra gathered [on 28 February 1997] in an extraordinary meeting on the eve of their departure and agreed to admit a woman, Anna Lelkes, as harpist."[137] As of 2013, the orchestra has six female members; one of them, violinist Albena Danailova became one of the orchestra's concertmasters in 2008, the first woman to hold that position.[138] In 2012, women still made up just 6% of the orchestra's membership, compared to 14% in the Berlin Philharmonic, 30% in the London Symphony Orchestra, and 36% in the New York Philharmonic. VPO president Clemens Hellsberg said the VPO now uses completely screened blind auditions. She said it chooses "the best we get," implying that full gender equity would take time as older members retire and new ones audition under gender-neutral conditions.[139] The Czech Philharmonic excludes women and the Berlin Philharmonic "has a history of gender discrimination."[130]
In 2013, an article in Mother Jones stated that "[m]any prestigious orchestras have significant female membership—women outnumber men in the New York Philharmonic's violin section—and several renowned ensembles, including the National Symphony Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony, and the Minnesota Symphony, are led by women violinists. Brass, percussion, and string-bass orchestra sections are still predominantly male."[11]

Soloists[edit]

In classical music, soloists may perform unaccompanied solos on their instrument, as occurs with pianists who play works for solo piano or stringed instruments who play Baroque suites for one instrument (e.g., Bach suites for solo cello). In many cases, though, soloists are accompanied, either by a pianist, a small chamber music ensemble, or, in the case of a concerto, by a full symphony orchestra. In the 2014–2015 season, the majority of concerto soloists who performed with major Canadian orchestras were male. In the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, 67% of the concerto soloists were male. In the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, 74% of the concerto soloists were male. In the National Arts Centre Orchestra, 79% of the concerto soloists were male. In the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, 84% of the concerto soloists were male.[9] When the CBC news story on the gender balance of concerto soloists was released, the conductor of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Bramwell Tovey, disputed the accuracy of the news story in regards to his orchestra, arguing that the article only took a single season into account.[citation needed] An internationally famed soloist is Argentina's Martha Argerich who is considered to be one of the greatest pianists of the recorded era.

Singers[edit]

Popular music[edit]

Madonna is often referred to as the artist who changed the role of women in popular music during the 1980s and 1990s.Swift is credited for reshaping music in the 21st century

Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin are listed among the Rolling Stones's 100 greatest singers of all time.

Singers in popular music perform the vocals for bands and other music groups, which may range in size from a duo or a power trio to a large jazz big band. Singers typically do both live performances and studio recordings. Singers who do live performances may sing in small venues such as coffeehouses or nightclubs, or they may perform in larger venues ranging from arts centres to stadiums. Some singers also perform in music videos, which are used to promote the songs. In some styles of music, singers may play a rhythm section instrument, such as rhythm guitar, electric bass or a percussion instrument while they sing. In some styles of pop, singers perform choreographed dance moves during the show. Three well-known examples of pop singers who perform elaborate dance routines in their live shows are Madonna, Beyoncé and Britney Spears. Madonna is a key figure in popular music; critics have retrospectively credited her presence, success and contributions with paving the way for every female artist after her debut, and changing forever the music scene for women in the music history, as well as for today's pop stars.[140]
Singer-songwriter and music producer Björk has commented on how "women's labor and expertise—inside and outside of the music industry—go unnoticed." She has stated that "[I]t's invisible, what women do," and "[I]t's not rewarded as much."[2] Björk states "that her male collaborators are typically credited for the sound of her records; because on stage she mainly sings, there is a widespread assumption that she neither produces [as a music producer] nor plays an instrument."[2] In 2015, "while accepting the Woman of the Year honor at this year's Billboard Women in Music event", Lady Gaga commented on the "difficulties of being a female recording artist." She said it "is really hard sometimes for women in music. It's like a f[uck]ing boys club that we just can't get in to." She stated that she "tried for so long... to be taken seriously as a musician for my intelligence more than my body", yet she felt that others in the industry did not believe that women could have a "musical background... [or] understand what you're doing because you're a female."[3] A University Press of Kentucky book states that customers did not treat a woman who worked at a guitar store like she knew anything about guitars until she would use special guitar terms.[32]: 19  Indie folk singer-songwriter/guitarist Ani di Franco states that for women, in the past, even entering a guitar store was an "act of courage" because it felt like a "boys' club."[32]: 19  Not only do female artists feel the pressure to please their male counterparts but it is also difficult for female DJs to fit in, in a male-dominated field.[141]
Chaka Khan (born 1953) has been called the "Queen of Funk."
Despite funk's popularity in modern music, few people have examined the work of funk women. As cultural critic Cheryl Keyes explains in her essay "She Was too Black for Rock and too hard for Soul: (Re)discovering the Musical Career of Betty Mabry Davis", most of the scholarship around funk has focused on the cultural work of men. She states that "Betty Davis is an artist whose name has gone unheralded as a pioneer in the annals of funk and rock. Most writing on these musical genres has traditionally placed male artists like Jimi Hendrix, George Clinton (of Parliament-Funkadelic), and bassist Larry Graham as trendsetters in the shaping of a rock music sensibility".[142] Funk women include Chaka Khan, Labelle, Brides of Funkenstein, Klymaxx, Mother's Finest, and Betty Davis.
Some of the top-earning female singers in the 2000s were Adele, Angham, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, and Sherine. Almost all of these singers are also songwriters, and some are also music producers.
Céline Dion is one of the most successful singers in the 1990s. She has sold over 200 million records globally.[143]Shakira is commonly referred to as "The Queen of Latin Music"; she is also the highest-selling Latin female artist.[144]South Korean idol girl group Twice. Left to right: Momo, Jeongyeon, Jihyo, Nayeon, Chaeyoung, Dahyun, Mina, Tzuyu and Sana.
In East Asian pop music, during the 2010s, Japanese idol girl groups have been very successful in what is the largest physical music market in the world – and second largest overall – with 17 number-one singles just in 2017. The best-selling among all the J-pop idol girl groups, AKB48, is the best-selling act in Japan ever by number of singles sold – and third by total number of records sold – and has had as well the best-selling single in the country every year of the decade so far. Also, the best-selling album ever in the country, First Love, released in 1999, is by a woman, Japanese American singer and songwriter Hikaru Utada. South Korean idol girl groups have also been very successful the 2010s, with Twice having the best-performing single of 2016 in the country, as well as having won a total of 43 awards since their debut in October 2015. Another highly successful Korean idol girl group this decade is Blackpink, reaching the highest place ever for a K-pop girl group on the Billboard Hot 100 as well as being the first K-pop girl group to be number-one on the Billboard Emerging Artists chart.[145][146] They have also won a total of 16 awards since their debut in August 2016. K-pop has become increasingly popular in the US with many idol girl groups climbing their way up the leaderboards. However, most of the popularity is going towards male groups, with female groups being overshadowed by the concept of a boys-only club.[citation needed] Chinese idol girl groups have also recently achieved significant success, with C-pop groups like SNH48 and Rocket Girls 101, with the latter selling over 1.6 million copies of their debut EP in 2018.[147]

Blues[edit]

Ma Rainey (1886–1939)[148] was one of the earliest known American professional blues singers and one of the first generation of such singers to record.[149]
Classic female blues was an early form of blues music popular in the 1920s. An amalgam of traditional folk blues and urban theater music, the style is also known as vaudeville blues. Classic blues songs performed by female vocalists were accompanied by pianists or small jazz ensembles, and were the first blues to be recorded. The classic female blues singers were pioneers in the record industry, as they were among the first black singers and blues artists who were recorded. They were also instrumental in popularizing the 12-bar blues throughout the US.[citation needed]
Gertrude "Ma" Rainey (1886–1939), known as the "Mother of the Blues", is credited as the first to perform the blues on stage as popular entertainment when she began incorporating blues into her act of show songs and comedy around 1902.[150]: 38 [151]: 34  New York-based cabaret singer Mamie Smith recorded "Crazy Blues" in 1920, which sold over 75,000 copies.[150] Smith became known as "America's First Lady of the Blues." In 1920, the vaudeville singer Lucille Hegamin became the second black woman to record blues when she recorded "The Jazz Me Blues."[150]: 16  Ethel Waters, Alberta Hunter, Mary Stafford, Katie Crippen, Edith Wilson, and Esther Bigeou, among others, made their first recordings before the end of 1921.[152] These blues recordings were typically labeled as "race records" to distinguish them from records sold to white audiences. Nonetheless, the recordings of some of the classic female blues singers were purchased by white buyers as well.[153] Marion Harris became one of the first white female singers to record the blues.
The most popular of the classic blues singers was Tennessee-born Bessie Smith (no relation to Mamie Smith), who first recorded in 1923 and became known as the "Empress of the Blues." She signed with Columbia and became the highest-paid black artist of the 1920s, recording over 160 songs. Other classic blues singers who recorded extensively until the end of the 1920s were Ida Cox, Clara Smith, and Sara Martin. These early blues singers were an influence on later singers such as Mahalia Jackson and Janis Joplin. These blues women's contributions to the genre included "increased improvisation on melodic lines, unusual phrasing which altered the emphasis and impact of the lyrics, and vocal dramatics using shouts, groans, moans, and wails. The blues women thus effected changes in other types of popular singing that had spin-offs in jazz, Broadway musicals, torch songs of the 1930s and 1940s, gospel, rhythm and blues, and eventually rock and roll."[151]: 8 

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