Keys for Change: Rewriting the Legacy of Women in Classical Music

I grew up watching period dramas like Pride and Prejudice, Little Women, and more recently, Bridgerton, completely captivated by those elegant scenes where women played the piano to entertain their family and guests. I'm sure you're familiar with them too. But if someone were to ask you to name three classical pianists or composers, who would come to mind first? Most people would likely think of names like Beethoven, Mozart, Bach... maybe even Chopin. But what about female classical musicians?

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The Forgotten Women of Classical Music

I posed this question to classical music enthusiasts, and even they drew a blank. A quick Google search for "classical musicians" reveals a long list of (mostly white) men, with only a few women, such as Clara Schumann, Maria Anna Mozart, or Fanny Mendelssohn, typically appearing near the bottom of the list or buried in footnotes.

Could it really be that women, who were once expected to master the piano as an essential part of their education in the 18th and 19th centuries, simply weren’t good enough to be remembered by history? Or is there something else at play here?

When I first started working at Andante Piano and became more involved in the classical and neoclassical music scene, I couldn’t help but notice the same gender disparity that I had witnessed in other parts of the music industry. In fact, it often felt even more pronounced in the piano world. It was puzzling. How could there be so few women in a field where, historically, they were the ones frequently depicted behind the keys?

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Could it really be that women, who were once expected to master the piano as an essential part of their education in the 18th and 19th centuries, simply weren’t good enough to be remembered by history?

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In 2024, after reflecting on our own label’s roster and realising that only 1 in 6 of our releases were by women, we knew we had to act. We decided to explore the barriers and challenges women face in the neoclassical and broader classical music landscapes and to amplify their voices, both from the past and the present. But this turned out to be no easy task.

Researching gender disparity in classical music proved both overwhelming and surprisingly unproductive. While there is a wealth of information about orchestras, finding clear data on soloists, and especially pianists, was challenging. Even more elusive was an explanation for why female composers and musicians haven’t been remembered as vividly as their male counterparts.

In our search for answers, we connected with Armen Nalbandian, a pianist and composer who is deeply passionate about championing diversity in classical music and other cultural spaces. Armen not only helped us create a structured approach but also provided valuable historical context on the barriers women faced in the classical world. Through the stories of Clara Schumann — arguably the most recognisable female name in classical music — and Nadia Boulanger — whom the BBC once called the greatest music teacher who ever lived — Armen illuminated the incredible music and narratives that were lost to the erasure of women in classical history.

The reality was that while women were often encouraged to learn instruments, the instruments deemed appropriate for them were few, with the piano being one of the most acceptable. However, they were discouraged from pursuing professional careers, particularly as composers, and were often confined to performing in the domestic sphere, while men toured and composed. Clara Schumann’s reflections on this experience are striking: “I once thought that I possessed creative talent, but I have given up this idea; a woman must not desire to compose. Not one has been able to do it, and why should I expect to?” Yet, in a remarkable contradiction, Clara also famously said: “There is nothing greater than the joy of composing something oneself and then listening to it.”

Her husband, Robert Schumann’s words further underscore this sentiment: “Clara has composed a series of small pieces, which show a musical and tender ingenuity such as she has never attained before. But to have children, and a husband who is always living in the realm of imagination, does not go together with composing. She cannot work at it regularly, and I am often disturbed to think how many profound ideas are lost because she cannot work them out.”

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“I once thought that I possessed creative talent, but I have given up this idea; a woman must not desire to compose. Not one has been able to do it, and why should I expect to?”

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Despite these societal barriers and the internalised prejudices of the time, many women continued to compose, making monumental contributions to classical music through their compositions, performances, and the very way we experience music today. While those who succeeded were often women of a certain social standing, with the support of their families and access to wealth and connections, their perseverance and talent ultimately broke barriers, paving the way for future generations of women in music. However, despite their achievements, many of these women have been overlooked by history, their names fading while their male counterparts dominate concert programs and historical narratives.

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Keys For Change: Our initiative to support women in our scene

This ongoing erasure is why Andante Piano launched the Keys for Change campaign last year, raising awareness throughout the month of March for Women’s History Month. We did so through Armen’s interview that provided insights on the historical context as previously mentioned, a Women’s Day compilation featuring 15 original pieces by contemporary female pianists highlighting the wonderful artists of today, and conversations with these same pianists, where we aimed to hear from them what their experiences as women in the scene were. In these conversations, many shared how their training focused almost exclusively on male composers, and how the lack of representation made it harder to see their composing and playing as anything more than a hobby.

This year, our Keys for Change 2025 campaign builds on that foundation. We’ve invited female pianists to rework or reinterpret compositions by women from the classical music sphere. By doing so, we aim to honour the trailblazing women of the past while celebrating the incredible talents of women in music today. Through this initiative, we hope to create a bridge between history and the present—bringing forward the often-overlooked female composers of classical music while shining a light on the women composing and performing today. By amplifying their voices, we hope to inspire current and future generations of women to take their place in the world of classical music, ensuring that their contributions are not only remembered but continue to shape the future of the art form.

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Through this initiative, we hope to create a bridge between history and the present—bringing forward the often-overlooked female composers of classical music while shining a light on the women composing and performing today.

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Many of the composers we are highlighting this month were aided in breaking the societal barriers they faced through the support, collaboration, and praise of their male counterparts. For example, Robert Schumann and Chopin encouraged Clara Schumann, while Nadia Boulanger received high praise from her students like Astor Piazzolla, Philip Glass, Leonard Bernstein, and Quincy Jones who spoke of her influence in their music and her mentorship. Fanny Mendelssohn’s brother Felix was her greatest advocate, often performing her compositions and ensuring she received the recognition she deserved. Her husband, Wilhelm Hensel, also recognized her musical brilliance early on and wholeheartedly supported her ambitions. In this spirit, we also encourage the men in today’s music industry to follow their example by supporting, collaborating with, and praising the female composers of both today and the past.

As we continue to celebrate the women shaping the world of classical music, we also call on everyone—artists, advocates, and listeners—to join in. Together, we can ensure that the legacies of these remarkable women are remembered and their contributions continue to shape the future of music for generations to come. We’re all part of this ongoing history, and with each step forward, we make lasting change.

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Keys For Change, pt. II (2025)

Pre-save the compilation: https://music.andantepiano.nl/keysforchange-ptII

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Follow us to see the campaign unfold: https://www.instagram.com/andantepianomusic/

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Keys For Change, pt. I (2024) 

Listen to the original compositions of 15 modern female pianists: https://music.andantepiano.nl/keysforchange-ptI

Watch the 'Where Are The Women In Classical Music?' interview with Armen Nalbandian: https://link.andantepiano.nl/wherearethewomeninclassicalmusic-with-armen

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