Today marks the 400th anniversary of the birth of the extraordinary Isabella Leonarda, a versatile and prolific composer whose long life unfolded against a backdrop of dramatic transformation in the history of music.
She left behind a vast output of compositions, a musical treasure that defied the strictures of the patriarchy. Working within the confines of the Ursuline convent where she spent her life, Leonarda also became the first woman to publish instrumental sonatas.
PacificMusicWorks celebrates this fiercely creative woman with a concert hosted by Henry Lebedinsky and featuring special guest countertenor Reginald L. Mobley. Linked above, the concert will remain available through September.
Filed under: Isabella Leonarda, music news
MEMETERIA by Thomas May 