Celebrating Contemporary Women Composers in the Circulating Collections at the Library for the Performing Arts by Anthony McDonald, Librarian/Specialist II, Music Division, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman CenterMarch 26, 2021

A selection of recent additions to the circulating scores collection of works by contemporary women composers — *A selection of recent additions to the circulating scores collection of works by Lauren Bernofsky, Nancy Galbraith, Jennifer Higdon, Kaija Saariaho, Joan Tower, Leslie Uyeda, and Gwyneth Walker*

Over the past few years here at the Library for the Performing Arts we have been looking to increase our holdings of scores (and parts) in our circulating scores collection for works by contemporary women composers across the full range of vocal and instrumental combinations. The focus has been to match the diversity of contemporary scores in our research collections with circulating performance material our patrons can play from and study at home.

Most recently we have reviewed our holdings of works by Nancy Galbraith, Jennifer Higdon, Kaija Saariaho, and Joan Tower. Much of this music has come in while the Library for the Performing Arts has been closed and is now available to borrow via the Grab and Go locations. More music continues to be added and will be available soon. Over the following months and years we will continue to diversify our circulating collections, adding new composers, and looking back to works by marginalized composers of the past whose music is only now being published.

Some examples of newly available circulating material include:

for Soprano and Piano by Nancy Galbraith