10 women who changed the classical music world forever

10 women who changed the classical music world forever

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Doreen Carwithen is known as the world’s first full-time female film composer

Meet Doreen Carwithen, the world’s first fully-professional female film composer

Saint Cecilia Playing The Organ.

Who was St Cecilia? Meet the patron saint of music and musicians

Hildegard von Bingen, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Edward Elgar among the greatest composers in classical music history.

The 30 greatest classical music composers of all time

Who is Toshiko Akiyoshi? Meet the Japanese pianist and composer who transformed jazz music

Who is Toshiko Akiyoshi? Meet the Japanese pianist and composer who transformed jazz music

Four women conductors lead the Met Opera in one week – in historic first

Four women conductors lead the Met Opera in one week – in historic first

New York Metropolitan Opera

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The Donne Foundation has successfully set the Guinness World Record for the Longest Acoustic Music Live-Streamed Concert, with a 26-hour concert of music by women and non-binary composers.

Musicians break Guinness World Record with 26-hour concert of music by women composers

Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn

Who was Fanny Mendelssohn, the unsung composer whose music was published under her brother’s name?

Happy Birthday

5 famous melodies you didn’t realise were written by women... including ‘Happy Birthday’

Hélène de Montgeroult, the incredible woman whose music saved her life in revolutionary France

Hélène de Montgeroult – the French composer who played piano to save herself from the guillotine

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Amy Beach’s stunning violin Romance

Amy Beach’s stunning Romance, played by a rising star violinist for International Women’s Day

The 10 greatest pieces by German composer Fanny Mendelssohn.

The 10 greatest pieces of music by Fanny Mendelssohn, ranked

Florence Price had her work premiered by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Meet Florence Price, the first Black woman to have her work premiered by a US orchestra

Price, F

Nina Simone, Marian Anderson and Sheku Kanneh-Mason (left to right) are just some of the famous faces that have left their mark on the classical music world

25 Black musicians who have shaped the classical music world

Who was Felicia Montealegre, Chilean actress and Leonard Bernstein’s wife?

Who was Felicia Montealegre, Chilean actress and Leonard Bernstein’s wife?

Bernstein, L

Marin Alsop is one of the world’s greatest conductors and a fierce supporter for the next generation of maestros.

Who is Marin Alsop? The trailblazing American conductor, music director and mentor

Marin Alsop

Lili Boulanger was one of the most talented composers of the 20th century, until her untimely death at the age of 24.

Who was Lili Boulanger? Meet the inspiring composer who died tragically young

Women Composers

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Clara Schumann

Rachel Portman

Florence Price

Hildegard of Bingen

Women Artists

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Nicola Benedetti

Isata Kanneh-Mason

Anna Lapwood

Yuja Wang

Mood

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Studying

Relaxing

Happy

Epic

Romantic

Baby

Occasions

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Wedding

Memorial

Valentine’s Day

Christmas

Latest on Classic FM

Yo-Yo Ma and Marion Cotillard in Notre Dame

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma and French actor Marion Cotillard perform an intensely mystical duet

Yo-Yo Ma

The Lost Music of Auschwitz

Hear haunting music composed at Auschwitz for the first time in 80 years

The greatest opera singers of all time

25 best opera singers of all time

Sir Simon Rattle.

When Simon Rattle raised the roof of a brand-new Symphony Hall with unforgettable Mahler

Simon Rattle

Arnold Schoenberg’s archive has been destroyed by the LA fires, including photographs, letters, and over 100,000 scores.

Over 100,000 Arnold Schoenberg scores destroyed by LA fires in ‘profound cultural blow’

Ruth Slenczynska

100-year-old piano virtuoso Ruth Slenczynska is the last surviving pupil of Sergei Rachmaninov

Rachmaninov

Mohand Al Ashram, a Palestinian singer and Oud player, sits in front of a small classroom of children.

Palestinian music teacher uses drone sounds to teach school children in haunting video

Videos

Gustavo Dudamel, the Musical Director of the LA Philharmonic Orchestra.

LA Philharmonic forced to cancel concerts due to wildfires

LA Phil

Listen to the Classic FM Hall of Fame countdown live, 9am-9pm across the Easter weekend.

Vote for your favourite classical music in the Classic FM Hall of Fame 2025

Classic FM Hall of Fame

Nicola Benedetti.

Nicola Benedetti leads calls for funding to save Edinburgh International Festival