This course was developed as an innovative, interdisciplinary approach to telling the story of women in music.

Designed for both musicians and non-musicians, the course is a survey of the history of women in music. From Sappho in ancient Greece to today's pop divas, women have been active as composers, performers, patrons, teachers, and scholars. As the subjects of musical works, women have been alternately deified, as in opera, and vilified, as in Eminem's rap songs. As we study the roles of women in music, we will investigate the origins of feminist music criticism and consider the future of feminist thought in music.

The course is divided into five units:

Unit 1. The Way We Were: The Traditional Roles

Unit 2. The Times, They Are a'Changin'

Unit 3. The “Problem” of the Woman Composer

Unit 4. Performance and Perception

Unit 5. Divas, Death, and Deliverance

The goal of this course is to cause students to think critically and analytically about issues of gender in music. Through the readings, writing exercises, music listening, and class discussion, students will gain insight into their own intellectual biases and mental processes as they reflect upon the significance of women in music.

An active learning environment is established. The classroom experience will include role-playing, group work, questions and answers about the readings, clarification and amplification of the subject matter, music listening, discussion, and debate. Students are welcome to offer suggestions for daily activities.

Questions asked in the course include: Do women compose music differently? Do men and women hear music differently? How does gender impact the experience of music? Designed for a diverse audience, the course pairs musicians with non-musicians for class projects and oral presentations.

This course utilizes the Blackboard course management system. Course documents are available to Muhlenberg students only and can be accessed here .