Although the situation in the Netherlands is probably a little bit better than elsewhere, women still have a subordinate role in the international classical music world . Women composers and orchestra conductors form a marginalised group, neglected by the media. That is the reason why there are world wide hardly to find any women conductors, why the music of women composers is seldom heard and why women first concert masters very often are not seriously appreciated. The Raduga-Ensemble want to protect the music written by women from oblivion.
The Raduga-Ensemble ranks the music of women composers on a prominent place in its programme and priority is given to women conductors at first performances. In spite of this priority, the musicians in the Raduga-Ensemble are sure that music is not depending on gender, that is why also male conductors and soloists will be programmed.
In each of our concerts at least 50% of the program will be music written by women composers. Every year 4-6 women composers are invited to write a new work for the Raduga-Ensemble in order to realise our yearly 'Tribute to...'projects. The Raduga-Ensemble plays music from al periods, from Baroque to Avant-garde, 20st and 21st century.
Every year, on or around the 8th of March - International Womens' Day - the Raduga-Ensemble is organizing a benefit-performance, in aid of an action, a project or an organization with a specific purpose on healthcare, education or protection of women and their children.
Works from women composers in the stock repertory:
@01 Caroline Ansink: Libe Monstren, concerto for soprano, bass-flute and strings,
@02 Dina Appeldoorn Two Dutch Dances
@03 Grazina Bacewicz: Divertimento
@04 Grazina Bacewicz: Concerto for strings
@05 Hanna Beekhuis: Dance of Demons
@06 Natascha Bogachenkova: Concerto for string orchestra
@07 Johanna Bordewijk-Brouwer: 'Three pieces for string orchestra'
@08 Henriëtte Bosmans: Stringquartet
@09 Emma Lou Diemer: Concerto for flute and string orchestra
@10 Madeleine van Dijck: Concertino for strings
@11 Eibhlis Farrell: Concerto Grosso
@12 Jaqueline Fonteyn, Per archi
@13 Sofia Gubaidulina: Seven Words, for bayan and stringorchestra
@14 Margriet Hoenderdos: September '00, for stringquartet
@15 Rita Hijmans: 'A weapon to win the Peace' for string orchestra
@16 Rita Hijmans: 'Strike' for string orchestra
@17 Marian Ingoldsby: Adagio and Allegro
@18 Vitezslava Kapr lov : Partita for Pianoforte and Stringorchestra
@19 Natalia Karsh: Concertino for hobo and chamberorchestra
@20 Annette Kruisbrink: Concerto Breve' in memoria di Tera de Marez Oyens; 2 guitars and str.orch
@21 Marion de Laat: 'Er zaten zeven kikkertjes' (Seven small frogs...) concertino for strings
@22 Svetlana Lavrova: Echoes of Tempest, for chamberorchestra
@23 Sofya Levkovskaya: Formula for Spring, for stringorchestra, bayan, trumpet and bells
@24 Sofya Levkovskaya: Cinematograph, for stringorchestra and tape
@25 Tera de Marez Oyens: Shoshadre, for strings
@26 Tera de Marez Oyens: Interface, for strings
@27 Polina Medyulyanova: Ne'mat, Concerto for piano and string orchestra
@28 Polina Medyulyanova: Miniatura 1+2
@29 Zhanneta Metallidi: Concertino for flute, piano and string orchestra
@30 Zhanneta Metallidi: Scherzo
@31 Zhanneta Metallidi: Sinfonietta voor flute, percussion en string orchestra
@32 Zhanneta Metallidi: St Petersburgian Baroque, variations for string orchestra
@33 Sumire Nukina: 'Souvenir', In memory Tera de Marez Oyens, for strings
@34 Kamila Usmanova: Concerto for string orchestra
@35 Olga Petrova: Symphony for clarinet and string orchestra
@36 Elisabeth Haiden Pitzer: Elegy in Amber, for string orchestra
@37 Marga Richter: Lamento
@38 Natalie Rusu-Kozulina: Remembering of Blues, for 14 stringplayers
@39 Katerina Ruzickovà: 3 Parafrasen, for string orchestra
@40 Katerina Ruzickovà: 'Life Attitudes' (in Memory of V. Kapràlovà), for string orchstra
@41 Dilorom Saidaminova: The short story
@42 Dilorom Saidaminova: Concerto for string orchestra
@43 Dilorom Saidaminova: Lost in Eternity
@44 Joan Trimble: Suite for strings
@45 Lorre Lynn Trytten: 'Echoes of your name' Concerto grosso for string orchestra
@46 Elena Turkina: Composition for harp, percussion and strings
@47 Galina Ustvols'kaya: Concert for piano, string orchestra & timpany
@48 Svetlana Lavrova: 'Reflection on theory'
@49 Natalia Bogachenkova: 'Presto' dedicated to Raduga-Ensemble
@50 Natalia Karsh: 'Touch the Rainbow' dedicated to Raduga-Ensemble
@51 Irina Tsesliukevitch: 'The night with Chopin'
@52 Gerda Geertens: Remembered
@53 Henriëtte Bosmans: Strijkkwartet
@54 Libby Larssen: Symphony nr 4, for string orchestra