Angélica Negrón is a Puerto Rican-born composer and multi-instrumentalist. She talks about the paradox of writing “cute” music as a petite woman, and whether she is trapped into reinforcing a stereotype.
This episode opens with the expression of transness in composer inti figgis-vizueta’s Music for Transitions. inti talks about a boycott of her music, and how and when to share negative experiences in a public way without it backfiring.
Grammy-nominated composer, flutist and vocalist Nathalie Joachim discusses a surge in recognition of Black women composers; the album Fanm d’Ayiti; and her fearless pursuit of what moves her, regardless of success.
In response to the question “Is music by women womanish?” composer Sarah Kirkland Snider discusses “emotional” music by Classical composers; charges of femininity in her own music by The New York Times; aging gracefully; and sex appeal.
Wu Fei is a classically-trained composer, singer and master of the guzheng, a Chinese zither. Fei describes growing up in the restrictive creative environment of Chinese conservatories, and compares it with the openness of music training in the U.S.