Artistic point of depart
"I realized what it meant for many women to be composers and to have to fight constantly for recognition. I finally learned women's names that were omitted in all the music-history books and music-encyclope- dias. As I said, a lot still has to be done, but I am sure there will be no future for women in music if we are not constantly staying alert, and willing to let our voices be heard'"
Tera de Marez Oyens (1932-1996)
in her introduction panel Future of Women in Music, Alaska, August 14th, 1993
Every year the Foundation Raduga-Ensemble intend to develop a project according to her primery target, based upon the ideas of the Dutch woman composer/pianist/ conductor Tera de Marez Oyens, who died in august 1996. The 'Tribute to'-projects were started for the first time in the musical season 1999/2000. The tribute was this first time of course dedicated to Tera de Marez Oyens. Thee main target of the Foundation Raduga-Ensemble is intensively improving on recognition of professional women musicians, particularly women composers and women conductors.
The Foundation Raduga-Ensemble maintains the following guidelines:
a. every year a certain number of women composers in The Netherlands and abroad are invited to write a new work for the womens chamber orchestra. Furthermore a number of women conductors are invited to direct the worlds first performance of these works.
b. at national and international level co-operation will be aimed at: other orchestras, organizations and persons in the field of professional music making by women or supporting organizations (media, editors, etc.).
c. developing possibilities to extricate archived information about women compo- sers, conductors, orchestras, etc.
The 'Tribute-to'-projects are in the first place for new work of Dutch or foreign composers, living in the Netherlands. These new works will be added to the stock repertory. Also the foreign composers are requested to compose new work, or they are asked to submit a work that fits our string orchestra.
Project for 1999/2000 : 'A Tribute to Tera de Marez Oyens'.
a. the composers
For this project the following Dutch women composers were willing to write new work:
- Sumire Nukina
- Anette Kruisbrink
- Lorre Lynn Trytten
- Susan Shakerin
Fall1998 they were asked to compose a new work lasting about 15 minutes, in which a theme of Tera de Marez Oyens should be used as a leading point, or that there will be a relation with the work of Tera de Marez Oyens in a different way. The project consisted of two concerts.
The performance of these two concerts took place on June 3rd and June 24th 2000 at The Old Church, Amsterdam, and was a succes. Tera's daughter Iris, two of her other children and Tera's husband, the writer Marten Toonder, were among the audience. The concert was recorded and a part of it (a compilation with the music of women composers) was broadcasted in September 2000.
Project for 2000/2001: A Tribute to Elisabeth Kuyper
a. the composers
For this project the following Dutch women composers were invited to write new work:
- Ruth Bouman
- Margriet Hoenderdos
- Madeleine van Dijck
- Calliope Tsoupaki
Project for 2001/2002: A Tribute to Heriëtte Bosmans
a. the composers
For this project the following Dutch women composers were invited to write new work:
- Gerda Geertens
- Huba de Graaff
- Marion de Laat
- Hanna Kulenty
Project for 2002/2003: A Tribute to Viteszlava Kapràlovà
a. the composers
For this project the following Czech women composers were invited to write new work:
- Ivana Loudovà
- Katerina Ruzickovà
- Sylvie Bodorovà
- Lenka Foltynovà
Project for 2003/2004: A Tribute to Galina Ustvolskaya
a. the composers
For this project the following Russian women composers are invited to write new work:
- Natalia Karsh
- Svetlana Lavrova
- Olga Petrova
- Elena Turkinova
Project for 2004/2005: A Tribute to Germaine Tailleferre
a. the composers
For this project the following French women composers will be invited to write new work:
(?)
Project for 2005/2006: A Tribute to Ethel Smyth
a. the composers
For this project the following English women composers will be invited to write new work:
(?)
Project for 2006/2007: A Tribute to Belle van Zuylen (Isabelle de Charrière)
a. the composers
For this project both Frech and Dutch women composers will be invited to write new work:
(?)