by Helen Walker-Hill (Author)

In recent years, considerable scholarly attention has been paid to women in music, and information on the music of a handful of black women composers, such as Florence Price and Mary Lou Williams, has been published. Determined search, however, is needed to locate what little data is available on most such composers. Proceeding from a desire to use music of black women composers in her piano performance and teaching, Helen Walker-Hill has dedicated herself to uncovering this material, utilizing secondary sources and numerous archives, conducting interviews with composers, and engaging in voluminous correspondence with individuals and institutions. The result is the most comprehensive catalog of music composed by African American women to date. The depth of detail required limiting the scope to solo and ensemble piano music. However, an introductory overview on the contributions of black women in music and biographical sketches on the fifty-four composers profiled in the catalog contain broader information.

Author Biography

HELEN WALKER-HILL is also publishing an anthology of piano music, Black Women Composers: A Century of Piano Music, 1893-1990. Her articles have appeared in journals such as American Music Teacher and Black Music Research Bulletin. Her lecture/recital, Rediscovered Heritage: The Music of Black Women Composers, has been featured on National Public Radio's Morning Edition and Horizons programs and was the subject of a United States Information Agency film for foreign distribution.

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