Mississippi University for Women will host the eighth annual Music by Women Festival March 7-9.

women musician

Housed in The W’s historic Poindexter Hall, the festival will feature 15 concerts featuring music, both new and historic, written by female composers. Concerts will begin at 10 a.m., noon, 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. all three days.

In addition to the concerts, there will be academic presentations including lecture-recitals, papers and demonstrations from a variety of presenters including faculty from the top research institutions and conservatories and members of prestigious orchestra and opera companies.

“We are looking forward to the 2024 festival. The event was founded at The W due to the university’s history as the first state supported institution providing higher education for women in the U.S. The festival is a celebration designed to inspire and serve as a catalyst for future study and performance of this important body of work.

“As a professor, I also hope that the festival provides examples of role models for younger women musicians. This year promises to be our largest event yet. We have participants traveling from as far away as Australia and Poland,” said Dr. Julia Mortyakova, The W’s department of music chair and the founder and artistic director for the Music by Women Festival.

There is a discount for students, adjunct faculty, retired musicians and independent musicians.

Registration is for the academic presentations. All of the concerts are free and open to the public, and each will be live-streamed on the festival YouTube channel.

For a full schedule of events as well as registration details, please visit muw.edu/musicbywomen.

For questions about the festival, contact Mortyakova at musicbywomen@muw.edu.

The festival is supported, in part, by funding from the Mississippi Arts Commission, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

About The W

Located in historic Columbus, Mississippi, The W was founded in 1884 as the first state-supported college for women in the United States. Today, the university is home to 2,227 students in more than 70 majors and concentrations and has educated men for 40 years. The university is nationally recognized for low student debt, diversity and social mobility which empowers students to BE BOLD.

Be Bold. Tower with Blue.