Challenging musical canons - a research project

Challenging musical canons - a research project

Our research project has been granted a three year grant by the Norwegian Academy of Music!
Challenging musical canons is a joint research and development project that asks the following question: in which ways can we challenge and expand prevailing canonical traditions within different study- and teaching environments at NMH?

Western music history has largely favoured male composers, musicians, and tradition bearers, while women and non-binary individuals have often been overlooked by historians. Their contributions have been minimized, or they have lacked opportunities to participate in the music scene on equal terms with men. This has contributed to narratives about musical canons where important individuals, musical expressions, and perspectives are missing.

Eva Beneke (Associate Professor in Classical Guitar), Guro Gravem Johansen (Professor of Music Education) and Gjertrud Pedersen (Associate Professor in Music History) aim to develop how music history and artistic practices are taught through the project Challenging Musical Canons.

The project is a collaboration between the research centres CERM and NordART.

 

Komponistinnen für klassische Gitarre - ein Interview mit New Classical Guitar

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Komponistinnen für klassische Gitarre - ein Interview mit New Classical Guitar

Vermehrt machte ich mir zu solchen Themen Gedanken – es gab ja wenig Ablenkung. Ich verschlang einiges an Büchern, die mich bewegt haben, z. B. Invisible Women von Caroline Criado Perez – eine Empfehlung meiner argentinischen Kollegin Carolina Folmer. Aber der Blick in die Gitarrenszene und auf die Programme in Konzerten, Wettbewerben und bei Festivals hat mir nicht mehr gefallen. Irgendwann stand dann die Frage im Raum: Warum spiele ich eigentlich so gut wie nie ein Werk von einer Frau? Und was bedeutet das für mich, als Musikerin? 

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Female composers for classical guitar - an Interview with New Classical Guitar (Copy)

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Female composers for classical guitar - an Interview with New Classical Guitar (Copy)

In the canon of the classical guitar repertoire, the term "underrepresented" is still a rather euphemistic way of talking about female composers! Why is that?

Well, we can thank the 19th century in particular, where the bourgeoisie with its patriarchal structures assigned women a very limited place in society: namely children, cooking, church. Most structures in the classical music industry emerged during this period and remained the same until today. All areas of music theory and practice, from orchestras and academia to musicology and music reception were male-dominated, and so was the canon of works. Much has changed, but if one looks at a typical exam program today, one will only sporadically discover a work by a female composer.

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New ep "et aliae" releases April 30, 2025

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New ep "et aliae" releases April 30, 2025

During my U.S. concert tour this Spring you can see me in Des Moines, Cedar Falls, Mineapolis and Seattle with a quick stoppver in L.A. For more dates in the U.S., please visit my tour calendar.

The European takes place on May 10 in Bergen, Norway with a concert at the Grieg Academy and, prior to that a friends and family party on April 30 in Berlin.

For those who would like to pre-order a copy, thanks for your support! it means the world.
Vinyl (E.U. only) Download

et aliae

The abbreviation et.al. - is used to mention others, not named here. ​For example: "performed were works by Bach and others".
 This album holds of some "the others" - three works by female composers from different times, and a genre-defying arrangement. Petra Szászí, born in 1997, is a young Hungarian composer of today. Sofia Gubaidulina, a representative of the "long" 20th century, with a personal story of migration and exile. Germaine Tailleferre, the only woman in the "Group des Six" around 1918, plus a multi-track recording of a piece from the iconic "Glassworks" album by Philip Glass, arranged by Eva Beneke for classical guitar and electric guitar.

The album will be available as high-quality audio LP on 100% recylced vinyl or digital download.
Vinyls come in collectible, unique colors.

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