U of A's Sixth Annual SHE: Festival of Women in Music Kicks Off March 1

The University of Arkansas’ Department of Music is pleased to welcome all to its Sixth Annual SHE: Festival of Women in Music, March 1-3.  The event is open to the public and registration and schedule information is available at she.uark.edu. 

The festival kicks off at 2 p.m. Friday, March 1 at the Faulkner Performing Arts Center with a performance by the U of A's own Schola Cantorum and University Symphony Orchestrafeaturing guest artist and composer Catherine McMichael. 

“The piece from Catherine McMichael was composed specifically for this year's festival, so it’s an amazing gift to our campus and community,” said Alan Gosman, chair of the Department of Music. 

Dara Starr Tucker

Táhirih Motazedian

Catherine McMichael

“Since its inception, the SHE: Festival of Women in Music has become a significant platform for performances, lectures, and masterclasses focusing on music by individuals who identify as non-cis-male and to highlight our faculty and student talents,” Gosman added. 

The first SHE: Festival of Women in Music began in 2019 as a celebration of the contributions and artistry of women in music and is presented in March of each year in conjunction with Women’s History Month. 

Founding chair Moon-Sook Park said that this year the festival will also introduce an exhibit hall for women-owned and led companies, underscoring the three-day event’s dedication to diversity and inclusivity. 

“This year’s SHE: Festival of Women in Music is also packed with dozens of fantastic performances, lectures, recitals and so much more,” Park said. “And over the years we are so proud to have been able to bring so many amazing guest artists and lecturers to campus while also featuring our own outstanding faculty and student performers.”

This year, three guest artists, Catherine McMichael (composer, arranger, performer, clinician and teacher in Saginaw, Michigan), Dara Starr Tucker (singer-songwriter, social media commentator, and satirist on cultural and racial equity, human rights, music, and film) and Táhirih Motazedian (professor at Vassar College, keynote speaker) will present their artistic excellence in recitals and keynote addresses on Friday and Saturday.    

Presentations and recitals will also take place throughout the weekend by students and music academicians and professionals. Please refer to the schedule at she.uark.edu to plan accordingly. 

The 2024 SHE: Festival of Women in Music will close on Sunday, March 3 with the SHE Student Collage Concert at 5 p.m. in the Faulkner Performing Arts Center. 

Registration is required to attend SHE Festival, but it is free for students and employees of the University of Arkansas. Register online at she.uark.edu.

About the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences: The Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences is the largest and most academically diverse unit on campus with three schools, 16 departments and 43 academic programs and research centers. The college provides the majority of the core curriculum for all University of Arkansas students. 

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $2.2 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.