Trace Phillips

Reporter

Mississippi University for Women is celebrating Women’s History Month with its annual Music by Women Festival.

In the midst of this pandemic, the fifth annual festival is being held virtually. Every night this month at 7:30 p.m., new concerts are being posted to the Music by Women website and YouTube channel. The concerts are completely free to the public, and they will continue to stay up for viewing following the festival.

The festival showcases old and new music composed by more than 200 women from all over the world. While the music is categorized as classical, the program depicts diversity through the wide range of styles and places of origin.

“Historically speaking, our earliest pieces are from the baroque time period, from the 17th century this time around, and our latest pieces were literally written this year,” said Dr. Julia Mortyakova, professor and chair of The W’s Department of Music and artistic director of the festival.

The 2021 festival has something for everyone, ranging from historical classical pieces to opera, and there is even a number with rapping.

Hannah Heaton, junior Piano Performance major at The W, said she was honored to have a piece of her work featured in the festival for the second year in a row. Heaton’s violin solo, “Around Me,” was performed by Serena Scibelli of the University of Georgia. Heaton says she has made valuable connections through participating in the past two festivals, and it has opened up her eyes to the number of women composers and performers in the world.

“The Music by Women Festival has one purpose, and that is to highlight and celebrate the contributions of women composers to classical music,” said Mortyakova.

Mortyakova explained the end goal of this program is to hopefully one day not have to do the festival anymore. She said when women composers, current and past, get the equal representation they deserve for their work, then there will no longer be a purpose in continuing the festival.

The Music by Women festival is grateful to its sponsors, Mississippi University for Women and the Mississippi Arts Commission.