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The image I chose for this post comes from the Twitter account of the Hartford Women Composers Festival (Hartford, Connecticut, USA). I came across it some time ago, and it prompted me to reflect on the gender inequalities that still persist in both the music world and society at large—something that feels difficult to justify today.

More importantly, it led me to a simple but necessary idea: programming works by women composers should be a natural part of musical life, not a passing trend.

Looking Back, Moving Forward

While we cannot rewrite a past in which women were largely excluded from musical creation—particularly in composition—we do have a responsibility in the present. That responsibility involves actively confronting all forms of discrimination, including gender bias, and strengthening the foundations on which future generations of artists will build.

The Saxophone Repertoire as an Opportunity

The relatively recent development of the saxophone’s original repertoire offers a valuable opportunity in this regard. It allows performers to regularly engage with works by composers such as Paule Maurice, Jeanine Rueff, Ida Gotkovsky, and Betsy Jolas, among many others.

If you are interested in exploring further, you will find a wide range of works for baritone saxophone by women composers in the General Repertoire section of my website’s blog.

A Personal Selection

Below, you will find a selection of works by women composers that I have performed in concert. Some of them are available as recordings, and I have included links so you can listen and watch.

To be fully transparent, I have not included any works that have not first passed through my own practice room. My hope is that, over time, more of these pieces will find their place on stage—and that new works will continue to emerge.

Here is my repertoire of works by women composers:

BENITO, Isabel.

1. Quasi uno Specchio, for baritone saxophone solo (2020)
   • Listen to it!
     >>>Click here, to find out more about this work.

CAPDEVILA, Mercè.

1. A Chillida, for baritone saxophone modulated live and tape (1997)
   • Listen to it!
     >>>Click here, to find out more about this work.

CLAUSSEN, Martina.

1. Trigger II_b, for baritone saxophone and live electronics (2023)
   • Listen to it!

CLYNE, Anna.

1. Choke, for baritone saxophone and tape (2004)

GERASIMENOK, Tatiana.

1. 4bkl, for actress, baritone saxophone and live electronics (2020)
   • Watch the video!

GHEORGHITA, Daniela.

1. Hemingsea, for baritone saxophone solo (2026)

GOTKOVSKY, Ida.

1. Brillance, for alto saxophone and piano (1974)
2. Quatuor de saxophones, for saxophone quartet (SATB) (1983)

GUBAIDULINA, Sofia.

1. Duo-Sonata, original for two bassoons (1977)

LEONOVA, Elena.

1. Imperative!, for baritone saxophone solo (2015)

LEPAUVRE, Manon.

1. Agrion Hasté, for baritone saxophone and live electronics (2019)

McTEE, Cindy.

1. Three Studies, for alto saxophone and tape (1992)

NEUWIRTH, Olga.

1. Spleen III, for baritone saxophone solo (2001)
   • Listen to it!

PÉREZ LANDÍNEZ, Ángela B.

1. Splat!, for baritone saxophone solo (2025)

PETROVIC, Albena.

1. Dreamlover, for baritone saxophone solo (2017)
   • Listen to it!
   • >>>Click here, to find out more about this work  
2. Concerto, for baritone saxophone, piano and string orchestra (2018)
   • Watch the video!
   • >>>Click here, to find out more about this work  
3. Concerto (2021, duo version for baritone saxophone and piano)
   • Listen to it!
4. Love and Jealousy, chamber opera that includes an alto saxophone (2018)
5. Two pieces, for alto saxophone solo (2021, extracted from the opera Love and Jealousy)
   • Listen to them!
6. Poèmes-Masques, for soprano voice and baritone saxophone (2021)
   • Listen to them!
7. Big Blue Duet, for baritone saxophone and piano (2022)
8. Whispers, for mezzo-soprano voice, Bb clarinet, baritone saxophone and electronics (2023)

RIBAS, Maria Rosa.

1. Sonata, for alto saxophone and piano (1980)

RUEFF, Jeanine.

1. Chanson et Passepied, for alto saxophone and piano (1951)
   • Listen to it!
2. Trois pour Deux, for baritone saxophone and piano (1982)
   • >>>Click here, to find out more about this work

TANAKA, Karen.

1. Night Bird, for alto saxophone and tape (1996)

TORRAS, Montserrat.

1. Textures, for alto saxophone and violin (2004)

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Have you found this post interesting? Would you like to know more about these pieces and to work on any of them? I encourage you to discover and perform more repertoire by women composers! Don’t hesitate to contact me for more questions.

Joan Martí-Frasquier
Barcelona, 2021.03.08
Updated: 2026.04.17