Celebrating International Women's Day in Music

Last year, the Music Department set out to rename its practice rooms in honour of influential and inspirational women from throughout musical history. We thought it would be fitting to introduce those women to you as part of International Women's Day, celebrating how these women have gone on to be successful in their respective fields and pave the way for future women to do the same.

We had many fantastic entries which made it very difficult to choose just five people! The names below are those that we chose which we feel are representative of diverse backgrounds and fields.  You can find out more information about each of them on our website where they will be featured each week and as part of our 'Of the Week' sheet.

Chi-chi Nwanoku OBE – b.1956 – double bass player and founder/Artistic/Executive Director of Chineke! Orchestra. She is also a former Kendrick student.

 

Hildegard von Bingen – 1098-1179 – first named composer and the most prolific of the middle ages

 

Ella Fitzgerald – 1917-1996 – jazz vocalist and the "First Lady of Song"

 

 

Alison Balsom – b.1978 – professional solo trumpeter 

 

 

 

Dame Evelyn Glennie – b.1965 – percussionist (who also happens to be deaf) and composer - the first person to create and sustain a full-time career as a solo percussionist