The Story
Our Spring concerts will feature a piece called WASHINGTON WOMEN, a choral song cycle by Judith Clurman and David Chase. This cycle is a collection of iconic texts taken from speeches, opinions, and interviews of 16 remarkAable women from across the political spectrum, all of whom spent part of their lives associated with Washington DC. Condoleezza Rice, Eleanor Roosevelt, Margaret Chase Smith, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Sandra Day O’Connor, Shirley Chisholm, Elena Kagan, Nancy Pelosi, Madeleine Albright, Michelle Obama, Kamala Harris, Betty Ford, Barbara Bush, Laura Bush, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Abigail Adams.
What is Washington Women?
Washington Women is collection of musical settings of iconic texts taken from speeches, opinions, and interviews of sixteen remarkable woman from across the political spectrum, all of whom spent a time of their lives associated with Washington DC - First Ladies, Senators, Congresswomen, Supreme Court Justices, Secretaries of State, Vice President, and Speak of the House of Representatives. The music delivers messages that are relevant to today’s world. Each one of these women found hope in the possibilities of the American dream. By setting their words to music, we hope that you will hear those words in fresh ways, learn more about these women and discover why they spoke these words when they did. And most importantly, we hope that Washington Women inspires you to speak out as well.
Judith Clurman
PERSONAL THOUGHTS by Judith Clurman
I worked on the Washington Women project for eight years. I fulfilled a promise to myself to have a choral piece written that honors the special women who changed or are changing the world today. Obtaining text usage permissions was not an easy task. Most of these women, their representatives, or specialists at presidential libraries were eager to help. Yet there were some women who chose not to be part of the project, even if their words were in public domain.
Additional Concert Pieces include:
Set My Myself Free by Melissa Dunphy
This Is What Democracy Looks Like by Elizabeth Alexander
I Lift My Lamp by Katie O'Connor-Ballantyne
What Happens When A Woman? by Alexandra Olsavsky of Artemisia
A song for the strong women of our world who seek to empower themselves by asking important questions