The International Journal of Research in Choral Singing (IJRCS) is ACDA’s official scientific research publication. The second article in the 2018 Volume 6 is now live at acda.org/ijrcs. It contains the following article: “A gender analysis of composers and arrangers of middle and high school choral literature on a state-mandated list” by Vicki D. Baker, Texas Woman’s University.
The article’s abstract is below.
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to compare the percentage of male and female composers and arrangers of mixed, treble, and tenor-bass choral literature listed on the 2016-2017 Texas University Interscholastic League (UIL) Prescribed Music List (PML). Compositions by women comprised 10% of the mixed choir, 15% of the treble choir, and 10% of the tenor-bass choir repertoire. Arrangements by women included 12% of the mixed choir, 23% of the treble choir, and 17% of the tenor-bass choir repertoire. A categorical analysis of the choral literature on the PML by difficulty level—Grade 1 (least difficult)—Grade 6 (extended works)—revealed that the higher percentages of compositions by female composers were found in the least difficult categories. These percentages sharply declined in the most advanced categories. A total of 144 women composers had works listed in the PML. A majority of the women (83%) had 5 or fewer compositions listed, and roughly half (73) of the women only had one work listed. The 5 most frequently listed women composers included: Emily Crocker (63), Alice Parker (37), Laura Farnell (25), Dede Duson (23), and Earlene Rentz (22). Suggestions are provided for inclusion of women composers in choral curriculum.
Find all current and past articles in IJRCS here.
