||:HerClassical:|| seeks to promote music written by 18th-century women composers by compiling and producing recordings, editions, and teaching resources. Very few pieces by women composers from this era are included in modern pedagogical compilations, though these pieces are wonderful additions to the student repertoire. By highlighting these pieces and creating new, more accessible editions, the ||:HerClassical:|| project opens the doors for pianists and teachers to explore this music.

​

As you explore this music, you may wonder why it faded into obscurity throughout time. Certainly, the music has as much merit as the works of well-known male classical era composers. The answer is altogether complex and multi-faceted. One thing to consider is that it was uncommon for women to have access to music education unless they were from wealthy, elite families, or families of musicians, and this may have contributed to the gradual erasure of those who did still compose. That being said, we must recognize these women as the illustrious, accomplished, and lauded figures of their time. They were recognized in their society for the merits of their musicianship and compositions. Still, both then and now, biases against women as composers led to a devaluation of their compositions--enough so that they were virtually ignored for hundreds of years. Additionally, many works by women composers remain lost--a disproportionate amount in comparison to the lost works of male composers, since hundreds of years of music research were devoted mainly to discovering and promoting compositions written by men. New efforts today, such as the ||:HerClassical:|| project can only affect change and allow these voices to be heard if students and teachers use the resources. Please spread the word about this project and if you would like to contribute either financially, or by writing, editing editions, or offering suggestions, reach out via the contribute page.