On Saturday I had the pleasure of attending the Royal Academy of Arts (RA) collaborative event with Royal College of Music (RCM) entitled ‘In Tune with Feminist Time’ held in The Benjamin West Lecture Theatre, at Burlington Gardens. It was a wonderful use of this space as the musicians transformed what is normally an intellectual venue into a room full of colour, texture and emotive sounds. Behind the performers were projected self-portraits from renown RA academicians, one that struck me in particular was the artist Angelica Kauffman. She was a prominent English Artist of the 18th century, one of only two founding female members of the Royal Academy of Arts and the last woman to be admitted until 1922.
In her self-portrait ‘Hesitating Between The Arts of Music and Painting’ it revealed that she was a talented opera singer, struggling between devoting herself to a career in music or art. I found this fascinating and thought it was a wonderful link to International Women’s Day as women are capable of possessing many talents and with the right opportunities can achieve success and explore their abilities to the fullest.
All the performers in this event were fantastic and revealed new music, tales of history and interesting poetry inspired from the female hand. The composers that were represented were: Barbara Strozzi, Judith Weir, Clara Schumann, Lili Boulanger, Maria Rodrigo, and a premiere by living composer Hayat Selim.
I particularly enjoyed the event as it continued the theme created by the inaugural event last year that I performed in: ‘In Touch with Feminist Futures’ which was created as a platform for myself and my fellow colleagues to present our research and performances from our Women in Music module led by the charismatic and formidable duo Diana Roberts and Natasha Loges.
And another feather in your cap, young lady! I am so proud of you.
Thank you GP, I always find it odd that we still talk of having to promote women in music or in art in order to get a more level playing field because my Mother is an equal partner with my Dad and is very forthright and has always taught me to stride out for what I what to achieve without favour or positive discrimination. I have actually found lots of support from men to help me to achieve my goals more so than other women. However, I do think it is important that young girls at school are taught of women’s achievements in art and music because I agree when I was at school they were rarely discussed as long as we don’t put too many men’s noses out of joint there is equal room for both sexes!
Best wishes
Charlotte
Agreed. My parents sound very much as yours are today. We are both very lucky in that respect – but too many out there aren’t. Your example is a great teacher.
What a curious party, my dear Charlotte! And I like the approach! It makes me feel proud for all of us. There is a nice Italian joke on the subject: “Why has Nature created more women than men? It has because it is wise.” 🙂 Have a nice feminist time! 🙂
This was a much bigger event this year than in its inaugural year and I really appreciated the presentations and performances, it was very enriching. It does make you feel empowered to make things happen for yourself and not wait to be given permission to ask.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Great! I believe that it is a very important event for us, women, to believe in our own inner strength.
Best wishes,
Maria
Wonderful!!! Be a feminist!!!All of the woman, great music. Go George Todica, on the piano.
The female pianist from the original trio left to have a baby so George took over the seat when he moved to London this year. We are both working together on our Lied duo and he has had several concerts with this trio this year.
Best wishes
Charlotte
That’s so wonderful….. Charlotte. So glad that you are working together….D
George was really odd man out — what, no female pianists?
Again, I’m disappointed that they didn’t include Cecile Chaminade.
Yes Lucy, she is a fabulous pianist, there was another man accompanying one of the singers on an archlute but he wasn’t in the photo sadly.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Wonderful Charlotte, and we’ll done George😘
Thanks Gilly.
I read her brief story, I am not sure she would go wrong in either direction. In today world, I would suspect she will be excel in both!
Yes, I agree. When I was in Year 9 at High School, I chose to take on the Performing Arts Academy and the Fine Arts Academy choices for GCSE preparation, sadly I had to give up all but one of my Fine Arts classes into the final two years of High School because there wasn’t timetable room as I chose Music, Dance and Drama/Acting examinations. I felt quite in tune with this woman though because I too would have been just as happy to pursue an art path.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Dear Charlotte,
Happy International Women Day on Friday and you have certainly arrived. I pray you will continue in your opera ambitions and maybe come to Houston, Texas. May the Lord bless you my beloved.
I don’t know about arrived but I’m certainly getting on enough journeys at the moment trying to find work haha. I would love to come to Houston, ask them to invite me and I’ll turn up if they’ll have me.
All my best wishes
Charlotte
Wow, great !! Congrats to you and George !! Proud of you two and wish you the best !!
That projection screen was a fabulous size for showing off the art work with the music, just a brilliant addition this year.
Best wishes
Charlotte
I love this event but for someone who does not believing in putting caps on people; it really shows that not all the world thinks like I do.
Hopefully in my lifetime it would be nice to just have a day to celebrate women’s achievements with less of the angle that is because they are breaking down a closed door.
I agree with you, Steve. In my last year at the RCM one of the productions was a male dominated cast with just a few females in the production and at the time I was disappointed because there were insufficient roles to audition for, would I have felt the same had it been a production of Suor Angelica or other with a more heavily weighted female cast, no, of course, I wouldn’t and this is where we have to remember to not take things too far in protest and angst. However, so many more girls train in opera, especially soprano voices that you already have a difficult path to navigate.
All my best wishes
Charlotte
What an interesting event and good to see that they chose to continue what they started last year. Will it be an annual event now, do you think?
Yes I think it will become an annual feature which is fabulous, it is kindly supported by Dasha Shenkman and Bluther Pianos this year. Without patrons I’m not sure if these events could take place.
All my best wishes
Charlotte
Good news!
Your narrritive, blew me away.
And that does not include your voice.
Your voice enables me to fly,
like all the birds,
I so adnire.
Thank you Cindy, your bird pictures certainly inspire me, wouldn’t it be lovely to do a recital featuring songs on birds with your images behind on the projection screen.
Best wishes
Charlotte
thank you for sharing
You’re most welcome.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Love this, especially the information about Angelica Kauffman. So many women are adept in multiple fields — like you, a musician who writes wonderfully about music (and other things!).
My late mother’s birthday was International Women’s Day. She was a strong, courageous woman and I love that her birthday celebrates all women.
An inspiring post from an inspiring person
Wonderful!
My comments seem to be disappearing? Hmm
Lovely. Happy belated Women’s day from Pakistan.
I also struggled to chose an art and then an instrument, like piano.
This looks so interesting! Thanks for sharing!