List of 20th-century American women composers explained

This is a list of 20th-century American women composers ordered alphabetically by surname.

A

• Mildred Adair (1895–1943)^[1]
• Esther Allan (1914–1985)^[2]
• Beth Anderson (born 1950)^[3]
• Elinor Armer (born 1939)^[4]
• Clarice Assad (born 1978)^[5]
• Lera Auerbach (born 1973)^[6]
• May Aufderheide (1888–1972)^[7]

B

• Elaine Barkin (born 1932)^[8]
• Floy Little Bartlett (1883–1955)^[9]
• Amy Beach (1867–1944)^[10]
• Eve Beglarian (born 1958)^[11]
• Carla Bley (born 1938)^[12]
• Margaret Bonds (1913–1972)^[13]
• Radie Britain (1899–1994)^[14]
• Rosemary Brown (1916–2001)^[15]
• Canary Lee Burton (born 1942)^[16]

C

• Wendy Carlos (born 1939)
• Gloria Coates (1938–2023)^[17]
• Nellie Weldon Cocroft (1885–1986)^[18]
• Valerie Coleman
• Sylvia Constantinidis (born 1962)^[19]

D

• Katherine Kennicott Davis (1892–1980)^[20]
• Emma Lou Diemer (1927–2024)^[21]

E

• Marti Epstein (born 1959)^[22]
• Reena Esmail (born 1983)^[23]

F

• Sylvia Fine (1913–1991)^[24]
• Vivian Fine (1913–2000)^[25]

G

• Miriam Gideon (1906–1996)^[26]
• Annie Gosfield (born 1960)^[27]

H

• Juliana Hall (born 1958)^[28]
• Barbara Harbach (born 1946)^[29]
• Melissa Hui (born 1966)^[30]
• Jennifer Higdon (born 1962)^[31]

K

• Laura Karpman (born 1959)^[32]
• Barbara Kolb (born 1939)

L

• Joan La Barbara (born 1947)^[33]
• Anne La Berge (born 1955)^[34]
• Vanessa Lann (born 1968)^[35]
• Libby Larsen (born 1950)^[36]
• Tania León (born 1943)^[37]

M

• Linda Martinez (1975–2005)^[38]
• Josephine McGill (1877–1919)^[39]
• Cindy McTee (born 1953)^[40]
• Missy Mazzoli (born 1980)^[41]
• Meredith Monk (born 1942)^[42]

O

• Pauline Oliveros (1932–2016)^{[43] [44]}

P

• Judith Palmer
• Florence Price (1887–1953)^[45]

R

• Nancy Raabe (born 1954)^[46]
• Shulamit Ran (born 1947)^[47]

S

• Laura Schwendinger (born 1962)^[48]
• Amy Scurria (born 1973)^[49]
• Ruth Crawford Seeger (1901–1953)^[50]
• Alex Shapiro (born 1962)^[51]
• Judith Shatin (born 1949)^[52]
• Faye-Ellen Silverman (born 1947)^[53]
• Netty Simons (1913–1994)^[54]
• Linda Catlin Smith (born 1957)^[55]
• Cristina Spinei (born 1984)^[56]
• Pauline Anna Strom (1946–2020)^[57]

T

• Augusta Read Thomas (born 1964)^[58]
• Karen P. Thomas (born 1957)^[59]
• Joan Tower (born 1938)^[60]

V

• Lois V. Vierk (born 1951)^[61]

W

• Melinda Wagner (born 1957)^[62]
• Shirley Walker (1945-2006)
• Gwyneth Van Anden Walker (born 1947)^[63]
• Wang Jie (born 1980)
• Edwina Florence Wills (1915–2002)
• Diane Wittry
• Julia Wolfe (born 1958)^[64]

Z

• Pamela Z (born 1956)^[65]
• Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (born 1939)^[66]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Adair, Mildred. July 26, 2024. composers-classical-music.com.
2. Web site: Allan, Esther. 2021-09-05. composers-classical-music.com.
3. Web site: Anderson, Beth. 2021-09-05. composers-classical-music.com.
4. Web site: Armer, Elinor. 2021-09-05. composers-classical-music.com.
5. Web site: Assad, Clarice. 2021-09-05. composers-classical-music.com.
6. Web site: Auerbach, Lera. 2021-09-05. composers-classical-music.com.
7. Web site: Aufderheide, May. 2021-09-05. composers-classical-music.com.
8. Web site: Barkin, Elaine. 2021-09-05. composers-classical-music.com.
9. Web site: Bartlett, Floy Little. 2021-09-05. composers-classical-music.com.
10. Web site: Beach, Amy. 2021-09-05. composers-classical-music.com.
11. Web site: Beglarian, Eve. 2021-09-05. composers-classical-music.com.
12. Web site: Bley, Carla. 2021-09-05. composers-classical-music.com.
13. Web site: Bonds, Margaret. 2021-09-05. composers-classical-music.com.
14. Web site: Britain, Radie. 2021-09-05. Texas State Historical Association: Handbook of Texas.
15. News: Martin. Douglas. 2001-12-02. Rosemary Brown, a Friend of Dead Composers, Dies at 85. en-US. The New York Times. 2021-09-05. 0362-4331.
16. Web site: 2011-05-02. Canary Burton. 2021-09-05. musicalics.com. en.
17. Web site: Coates, Gloria. 2021-09-05. composers-classical-music.com.
18. Web site: Nellie Estelle Weldon Cocroft. 2021-09-05. RagPiano.com. en.
19. Web site: Constantinidis, Sylvia, 1962–. 2021-09-05. viaf.org.
20. Web site: Katherine K. Davis Papers, 1908–1981. 2021-09-05. Concord Free Public Library.
21. Web site: Emma Lou Diemer, composer... November 24 in History. 2021-09-05. BrainyHistory. en.
22. Web site: Marti Epstein. 2021-09-05. Discogs. en.
23. Web site: Composers: Reena Esmail. 2021-09-05. Classics For Kids.
24. Web site: Sylvia Fine. 2021-09-05. Jewish Women's Archive. en.
25. Web site: Raymond. Jennifer. 2000-04-09. Vivian Fine Obituary. 2021-09-05. The Guardian.
26. Web site: Miriam Gideon. 2021-09-05. American Composers Alliance. January 1957 . en.
27. Web site: Gosfield, Annie. 2021-09-05. composers-classical-music.com.
28. Web site: Giraudet. Jean-Paul. 2013-03-08. Juliana Hall. 2021-09-06. musicalics.com. fr.
29. Web site: Barbara Harbach (b.1946): The Music of, Vol. 4 – The Soul of Ra and Transformations for String Orchestra, Echoes from Tomorrow for Chamber Ensemble, Freeing the Caged Bird and Lilia Polka for Wind Quintet. 2021-09-06. Records International.
30. Web site: Hui, Melissa. 2021-09-06. composers-classical-music.com.
31. Web site: Higdon, Jennifer. 2021-09-06. composers-classical-music.com.
32. Web site: 2015-04-23. Laura Karpman. 2021-09-06. musicalics.com. fr.
33. Web site: Barbara, Joan La. 2021-09-06. composers-classical-music.com.
34. Web site: Berge, Anne La. 2021-09-06. composers-classical-music.com.
35. Web site: Lann, Vanessa. 2021-09-06. composers-classical-music.com.
36. Web site: Larsen, Libby. 2021-09-06. composers-classical-music.com.
37. Web site: Leon, Tania. 2021-09-06. composers-classical-music.com.
38. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-may-26-me-martinez26-story.html "Linda Martinez, 29; Gifted Pianist and Promising Composer"
39. Book: Grove Music Online. Barbara L. Tischler. McGill, Josephine. https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-1002292295. 2013-11-26. 10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.A2292295. 978-1-56159-263-0. 2021-09-23.
40. Web site: Giraudet. Jean-Paul. 2013-03-25. Cindy McTee. 2021-09-06. musicalics.com. fr.
41. Web site: Mazzoli, Melissa. 2021-09-06. composers-classical-music.com.
42. Web site: Monk, Meredith. 2021-09-06. composers-classical-music.com.
43. Web site: Oliveros, Pauline. 2021-09-06. composers-classical-music.com.
44. Wagner, Laura, "Pauline Oliveros, Pioneer Of 'Deep Listening,' Dies At 84". Cited an Instagram post by flautist Claire Chase and confirmation by friends on Oliveros' Facebook page. Retrieved 2016-11-26.
45. Web site: Price, Florence. 2021-09-06. composers-classical-music.com.
46. Web site: Correspondent . Andrea Behling Courier . From critic to composer . 2022-10-18 . Hometown News LP . 19 November 2013 . en.
47. Web site: Ran, Shulamit. 2021-09-06. composers-classical-music.com.
48. Web site: Giraudet. Jean-Paul. 2004-05-23. Laura Elise Schwendinger. 2021-09-06. musicalics.com. fr.
49. Web site: 2008-07-16. Amy Scurria. 2021-09-06. musicalics.com. en.
50. Web site: Giraudet. Jean-Paul. 2003-07-15. Ruth Crawford. 2021-09-06. musicalics.com. fr.
51. Web site: Giraudet. Jean-Paul. 2005-01-26. Alex Shapiro. 2021-09-06. musicalics.com. fr.
52. Web site: Shatin, Judith. 2021-09-06. composers-classical-music.com.
53. Web site: Giraudet. Jean-Paul. 2013-03-25. Faye-Ellen Silverman. 2021-09-06. musicalics.com. fr.
54. Web site: Giraudet. Jean-Paul. 2013-03-25. Netty Simons. 2021-09-06. musicalics.com. fr.
55. Web site: Smith, Linda Catlin. 2021-09-06. composers-classical-music.com.
56. Web site: Cristina Spinei: Music for Dance. 2021-09-06. Toccata Classics. en-GB.
57. Web site: 2020-12-21. Pauline Anna Strom. 2021-09-06. musicalics.com. fr.
58. Web site: Thomas, Augusta Read. 2021-09-06. composers-classical-music.com.
59. Web site: Thomas, Karen P. 2021-09-06. composers-classical-music.com.
60. Web site: Tower, Joan. 2021-09-06. composers-classical-music.com.
61. Web site: Vierk, Lois V. 2021-09-06. composers-classical-music.com.
62. Web site: Giraudet. Jean-Paul. 2013-03-25. Melinda Wagner. 2021-09-06. musicalics.com. fr.
63. Web site: Giraudet. Jean-Paul. 2002-03-15. Gwyneth V. Walker. 2021-09-06. musicalics.com. fr.
64. Web site: Wolfe, Julia. 2021-09-06. composers-classical-music.com.
65. Web site: Pamela Z. 2021-09-06. Living Music Database. en.
66. Web site: Zwilich, Ellen Taaffe. 2021-09-06. composers-classical-music.com.