Of the 112 original scores eligible for an Oscar last award season, only three, or 2.7 percent, were composed or co-composed by women. Female composers are sorely underrepresented in the industry, but an upcoming concert presented by The Alliance For Women Film Composers will help shine a light on the fact that not only do female composers exist, they’re remarkably talented. “The Women Who Score: Soundtracks Live” will celebrate music written by women across film, TV, video games, and other media. The free event will take place in LA August 19.
A 45-piece orchestra will perform music from Rachel Portman (“The Cider House Rules”), Diane Warren (“Til It Happens to You” from “The Hunting Ground”), Penka Kouneva (“Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands”), and more. A number of the composers will attend.
Laura Karpman, president of The Alliance For Women Film Composers, commented, “We really believe that one of the reasons more women have not ascended to higher-budgeted, wider-released films is the lack of exposure, particularly when it comes to orchestral music. This concert gives us a fantastic showcase for our work.” The four-time Emmy winner’s music from “Underground” will be featured in the concert.
Billboard reports that the event “comes on the heels of Women In Film forming a music committee last month, headed by music supervisor Tracy McKnight, to develop and explore opportunities for female composers.”
The hope is that this concert is the first of many of its kind. “We very much want to be a part of the growing world of film music concerts and festivals,” Karpman explained. “Many of us have already had our work showcased in these festivals, but we hope to take this concert to film festivals.”
Karpman told Women and Hollywood that she thinks “the concert will serve a number of functions.” She explained, “First of all, and foremost, it will showcase the talents of fantastic composers. Our music — and our voices — will be heard. We can show the industry and the public that we are here and we are writing wonderful music.” She added, “But also, especially for this concert which is open and free to the public, we can be fantastic role models for younger women and girls. They will see that women can compose and conduct — and we can achieve the highest levels of excellence.”
Women accounted for less than 2 percent of the composers on the top 250 grossing films of 2015.
Back in September of 2015, the Alliance for Women Film Composers launched a helpful, important new resource: an online directory of women composers working in film, television, and other media. The first of its kind, the Online Female Composer Directory helps give visibility to qualified female composers who are ready to work given the opportunity.
