Incorporating Works by Living Female Composers into the Standard Repertoire for Developing Female Voices

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify and classify works by living female composers that could be added to the standard repertoire for developing female voices. The Texas University Interscholastic League's Prescribed Music List (PML) was used as the determinant for which music has already been included in the standard repertoire. Few female composers were found represented on the PML and only one of those female composers was living. Nine songs by three prominent female composers were proposed for inclusion; however, due to an inability to access the rubric used to determine and classify pieces for inclusion on the PML, a rubric was developed. Current pedagogical research regarding the developing female voice with its qualities and limitations was utilized to determine proper criteria for the rubric. This rubric was then used to classify the proposed selections by difficulty. All nine songs were classified as class 1 vocal solos using the UIL's classification framework and the researcher-create rubric.