Analysis of Women Composers' Representation in State Prescribed Repertoire Lists for Band

Repertoire is the foundation of any music class. Many directors use as series of filters in place to sort repertoire through a list of material and philosophical criteria. Most directors look for guidance by experts, including state associations and the repertoire lists they prescribe. An analysis of 12 state associations prescribed repertoire lists (N = 15,381) in six regions of the United States showed that directors may have a hard time developing a quality program that meets the needs of their students as well as advocates or supports female composers. A total of 359 compositions by women were identified (2.3%) by the 50 female composers that were represented in this project. The average ratio of women composers represented in a region was 2.26%. The aim of this study is to bring awareness to the lack of compositions by women in state prescribed repertoire lists as well as provide a reference for state associations and directors to look to discover quality music by female composers. Other resources such as free online sources and a list of women who were not advocated for on the state prescribed lists were also provided.