| dc.description.abstract | The Latin American flute repertoire is vast, but there are only a few composers that are consistently included internationally in conservatory curriculae and concert programs. Instead, most music performed in concert and symphony halls across the world was composed by European male composers of the eighteenth, nineteenth, and early twentieth centuries. Like other women composers around the globe, Latin American women composers are conspicuously absent from concert programs, and their works are seldom heard in public. Latin America has a rich history of art music, which varies from region to region and country to country. There are many Latin-American countries and classical music arrived at different times and circumstances. The European classical music tradition was transplanted to the Americas with the arrival of the Spaniards in 1492. During the colonial period, from 1492 to early 19th century, church was the most important music center. In the 19th century, in the wake of the Independence movements, nationalism became the main musical movement in Latin America. Many composers in Latin America incorporated elements of ancient native cultures and created a new aesthetic. In early twentieth century, as is true of composers in Europe and the United States, composers in Latin America developed an array of musical styles and techniques beyond nationalism. Many were trained in their native countries, Europe and, eventually, in the United States. Late twentieth-century and contemporary composers continue to write in what has come to be called neo-nationalistic style. Women musicians have been present and active in Latin America from the colonial times to the present, as performers, educators, theorists, composers, conductors and producers yet the history of these women remains untold. However, the history of women musicians in Latin America is in the process of being written by researchers from Latin America and Spain. A growing number of scholars have conducted symposiums, seminars and workshops and are creating research groups on this subject. The works for flute by Awilda Villarini, Adina Izarra, Gabriela Ortíz and Angélica Negrón are important contributions to the instrument’s repertoire. Awilda Villarini (Puerto Rico) is an established composer with a long career, Gabriela Ortíz (Mexico) and Adina Izarra (Venezuela) are well-known composers in their mid-careers and Angélica Negrón (Puerto Rico) is a blossoming composer in the early stages of her career. Women composers from Latin America have taken a fascinating journey from convents and churches to the concert hall. Some contemporary composers are internationally recognized and consistently performed, while many are yet to be discovered. There are a great number of excellent female composers from the region with diverse experiences and styles. Any musician attempting to perform music by Latin American composers would benefit from learning about the region’s musical movements and styles. Studying the cultural and musical context helps in the interpretation of the composer’s unique musical path and creative focus. | |
