The Organization Exploring Diversity in Composition

Are you looking for new music to listen to or for new repertoire to learn, during this time of self-isolation? The Institute for Composer Diversity is a great resource to find music by composers in underrepresented groups. With over 4,000 composers in the databases, you might just find your next favorite artist!

Operating within the State University of New York at Fredonia’s School of Music, the Institute has evolved over time from a simple resource project for the School to bring more awareness to female composers, into a robust research and advocacy organization.

If you’re in the mood to jump down a classical-themed rabbit-hole, you can dive into the Institute’s Composer Diversity Database to find composers you may have never heard before – broken down by genre, sub-genre, gender, demographics and location.

For example, here’s a wonderful composer this writer had never heard of: Elfrida Andrée (1841−1929), from Sweden. Noted as a pioneer for Swedish women in composition, performance and conducting, Andrée was the first woman in Sweden to graduate as an organist. Her work, “Andante quasi recitativo,” is a longing and gorgeous one-movement piece for string orchestra. Check it out below!

You can also check out their social media @instituteforcomposerdiversity.