Judith Rosen

community leader

Over 40 years ago in answer to a query Judith made, she was told by the chief music librarian of the Los Angeles Public Library that there was no such thing as a woman composer. Not one to take “no” for an answer, this simple query led to her extensive research, writing and lecturing on the subject. Since historically more women were composing in the second-half of the twentieth century than ever
before, she became a devotee of and an advocate for contemporary music.

With a desire to spread the word about the music by women that she was discovering, she participated in numerous radio broadcasts and coordinated music festivals which featured women’s works. Additionally, she has written articles for leading publications, including High Fidelity/Musical America, The Musical Woman (Vol. 1 and II) and entries in the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (Second Edition) and Grove’s Online. She has served as a consultant on this subject numerous times for
orchestra programs both in the United States and in Europe, and assisted with program development for the San Francisco-based Women’s Philharmonic.

In 1983 she formed a support group for the Arnold Schoenberg Institute in an effort to keep this important institution in Los Angeles. Eventually, it was unanimously determined that the Archives would be better served if they were deposited in Vienna where they now prosper.

For her book on the noted Polish composer, Grazyna Bacewicz, she received the Amicus Poloniae badge of Poland. Additionally, she has written liner notes for several compact discs featuring the works of this composer, and contributed a chapter for the book New Historical Anthology of Music by Women (2004).

Other awards received include: The Forte Award for “Distinguished in Advancing Nw and Modern Music in Los Angeles” given by Jacaranda Music (2012).

Judith’s collection of over 600 recordings of works by women composers, plus scores, correspondence and taped interviews are deposited at Stanford University’s School of Music Archives.

At present she serves on the Advisory Board of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and the Board of Governors of the Ojai Music Festival. She has been listed in Who’s Who in American Music and the International Who’s Who in Music.