HerStory: The Piano Collection is an important new piano book from Faber Music that presents invaluable repertoire by remarkable female composers across the ages. Written and compiled by educational author and piano teacher Karen Marshall, it will be launched with a celebration concert in partnership with Yorkshire Young Musicians (YYM), ahead of its publication on International Women’s Day, 8th March 2022.
Each piece in the HerStory piano collection is accompanied by a fascinating ‘snapshot’ of the 29 composers, providing invaluable insights into how they lived and composed, alongside quotes from them or about them. To greater provide educational value for students and teachers, there are suggestions of other pieces to try, personal observations from Karen Marshall and pedagogical activities and suggestions.
On researching and creating the collection, Karen Marshall says: “This project began for me when the pandemic hit. Unable to do my regular teaching, I decided to investigate some female composers. What first started out as personal curiosity developed into a significant journey of discovery. Each woman became a new character in my day, resulting in an array of emotion from deep sorrow to profound admiration.”
She added: “I found myself relating to many of the women on a deeply personal level, not only were most of them piano teachers but some also ran children’s choirs and taught in schools just like I do. This was alongside being working mums with all the juggling that that entails.”
Taking place at Hull Albemarle on 6th March at 4pm, A Journey Through HerStory: Piano Recital will present all pieces from the book, performed by a selection of Yorkshire Young Musicians students, alumni and teachers. Tickets are available to buy from Eventbrite and the event will be available to view on YouTube afterwards.
All ticket proceeds will go towards helping YYM Bursaries, ensuring all YYM students are able to access opportunities, regardless of their means. There will also be a collection bucket at the end of the concert.
As part of compiling the collection, a competition was launched to include new piano music from a young female composer. Such was the quality of entrants that two pieces were selected for inclusion. Publishing Director, Lesley Rutherford said: “We’re delighted to include music from two exciting young female composers in this piano collection, Margarida Gonçalves and Emily Pedersen. Our continued aim is to champion music by female composers and to deepen our commitment to supporting the development of young musicians.”
About the book and Karen Marshall
Karen Marshall is an experienced piano teacher with pupils ranging from five to 72 years. She is also a classroom music teacher and choir director at Osbaldwick Primary Academy, peripatetic music teaching in York, a teacher trainer for the British Dyslexia Association, a regular speaker and workshop presenter and has been widely published. Her books are a manifestation of her extensive curriculum development and many years of teaching experience. Karen is the creator of the award-winning Faber Music PianoTrainer series, comprising eight books spanning post-Grade 1 to Grade 8.
HerStory: The Piano Collection is progressively graded, suitable for intermediate to advanced level players (approximately Grade 4 to Grade 8). It also features a piano duet and an ensemble piece for piano, clarinet, viola and cello. Both have accompanying audio.
Contents
Villanelle (Marguerite Balutet); Grazioso from Sonata No. 2 (Elisabetta de Gambarini); Étude in C, Op. 50, No. 1 (Louise Farrenc); The Banjo Op. 74 No. 4 (Nannie Louise Wright); Berceuse Op. 2 (Dora Pejačević); Menuet from Suite in G minor (Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre); Étude in D minor, Op. 50, No. 11 (Louise Farrenc); Invention (Ethel Smyth); Surgite, Surgite (Barbara Strozzi); The Wood Nymph’s Harp (Florence P Rea); Levee Dance (Florence Price); Columbine (Amy Beach); The Spinning Top (Elena Gnesina); O Virtuo Sapientiae (Margarida Gonçalves/Hildegard von Bingen); Now Think. (Emily Pedersen/Hildegard von Bingen); Aubade (Cécile Chaminade); Waltz Caprice Op. 2 No. 2 (Clara Schumann); Valse (Maria Szymanowska); Juninat (June Night) (Inga Lærum Liebich); Andante cantabile from Sonata No.2 (Maria Park Hester); Mélodie Op. 4 No. 2 (Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel); Tempo di Minuetto from Sonata in A major (Marianna Martines); Heloisa (Valsa de salão) (Francisca Gonzaga); Lied Op. 35 [37], No. 1 (Josephine Lang); Intermezzo (Op. 3 No. 3) (Paula Szalit); Sospiro (Tango) (Francisca Gonzaga); Prélude (ce que l’on entendit dans la nuit de Noël) (Augusta Holmès); Pastorale (Germaine Tailleferre); Waltz No. 9 (Marie Jaëll); Divertimento (Anna Amalia von Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel)
Tickets for A Journey through HerStory: Piano Recital, 6 March: buy here
Follow #HerStoryPiano for the latest news!