Academic women composers in the Spanish transition to democracy (1975-1982): story of a broken silence from a historical, sociological and educational point of view

Abstract

This work analyzes the process of erasure suffered by women composers that were active or in training during the crucial times of political and social change brought about by the Spanish transition and the first years of democracy. This paper attempts to join those who, from a critical approach, break down the wall of silence built on the idea that the population of women composers is not statistically meaningful. Thus, this historical context allows us to approach the reality of creative women in this process of political, social and economic change. The feminist, sociological and historical perspectives gathered from oral sources in interviews conducted by the author of this work are used to examine the different stages that these women composers went through in their lives, from their musical initiation to their professionalization including their conciliation difficulties. The main conclusion is that the political, educational, cultural and sociological context of this time period delayed women from becoming true professional composers, hindering their organization and their chances of success in the work environment.