The Virtuosa Society emerged from a deep historical investigation to uncover a hidden corpus of work by women.
In this process, a startling thread binding the stories of female composers was discovered. Most of these women had to find extraordinary, often secret ways to create work – forming secret societies and clubs as a means of sharing, honing and performing their works.
Inspired by these stories, we founded The Virtuosa Society to showcase new developments in composition driven by female composers across all genres. From Francesca Caccini’s groundbreaking compositions during plague-infested Florence of the Medici Court in the 1630s (while raising two children as a single mother) to the influence of songwriter and producer Diane Warren.
In centering female composers and their work for new audiences, we raise the stature of, and knowledge about, these musicians and their works.
We are a launch pad for the advocacy of female-composed pieces to be part of the classical music canon.
The Virtuosa Society is a performance-driven collective whose mission is to champion female composers of the last 400 years.
We aim to bring works from the past alive in the present through:
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self composed and commissioned new works
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multimedia presentations
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collaboration with contemporary female writers, performers, and artists
The Virtuosa Society was conceptualized in 2017 by soprano Katie Harman and pianist Christine Eggert, in the practice rooms of Southern Oregon University.
During preparation for Harman’s Master’s degree recital, titled “Visions of a Woman’s Eye”, they aimed to share the female experience through song. Through out the process they discovered a glaring lack of access to pieces written by women, both in academic references as well as in standard art song and operatic repertoire. Thus The Virtuosa Society was born.
Learn more about Katie & Christine's musical resume next .
THE VIRTUOSA SOCIETY
KATIE HARMAN & CHRISTINE EGGERT
