Leah Broad
@leahbroad.bsky.social
Writer | Presenter | Historian
I write about music, women's history & cultural history.
QUARTET out now at https://linktr.ee/leahbroadwriter
Substack: http://leahbroad.substack.com
Website: http://leahbroad.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/leahbroad
I write about music, women's history & cultural history.
QUARTET out now at https://linktr.ee/leahbroadwriter
Substack: http://leahbroad.substack.com
Website: http://leahbroad.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/leahbroad
Pinned
Leah Broad
@leahbroad.bsky.social
· Dec 10
Having a can't-quite-believe-it's-real moment, but my next book has got a Whiting Grant @whitingfoundation.bsky.social 🥹 It's about how women exert agency in the most difficult circumstances, feminism & fascism, & why/how music is political. There's an extract here: www.whiting.org/content/leah...
New York folks, I'll be in NYC in January. I'd love to get coffee with music/writing/performance folks, especially if you'd be interested in collaborating! Please drop me a note if you'd like to say hi 🙂
November 12, 2025 at 9:54 AM
New York folks, I'll be in NYC in January. I'd love to get coffee with music/writing/performance folks, especially if you'd be interested in collaborating! Please drop me a note if you'd like to say hi 🙂
Reposted by Leah Broad
This week I'm tackling why creative women need to be allowed to fail.
Women composers have been judged as women first and artists second for too long. It hampers creativity, and does nobody any credit to make gender such an important part of listening.
leahbroad.substack.com/p/why-creati...
Women composers have been judged as women first and artists second for too long. It hampers creativity, and does nobody any credit to make gender such an important part of listening.
leahbroad.substack.com/p/why-creati...
Why creative women need to fail
Hear me out here.
leahbroad.substack.com
November 4, 2025 at 12:04 PM
This week I'm tackling why creative women need to be allowed to fail.
Women composers have been judged as women first and artists second for too long. It hampers creativity, and does nobody any credit to make gender such an important part of listening.
leahbroad.substack.com/p/why-creati...
Women composers have been judged as women first and artists second for too long. It hampers creativity, and does nobody any credit to make gender such an important part of listening.
leahbroad.substack.com/p/why-creati...
Reposted by Leah Broad
ps @leahbroad.bsky.social’s newsletter this week about how creative women/women composers should be given the space to fail resonated deeply.
November 4, 2025 at 2:06 PM
ps @leahbroad.bsky.social’s newsletter this week about how creative women/women composers should be given the space to fail resonated deeply.
This week I'm tackling why creative women need to be allowed to fail.
Women composers have been judged as women first and artists second for too long. It hampers creativity, and does nobody any credit to make gender such an important part of listening.
leahbroad.substack.com/p/why-creati...
Women composers have been judged as women first and artists second for too long. It hampers creativity, and does nobody any credit to make gender such an important part of listening.
leahbroad.substack.com/p/why-creati...
Why creative women need to fail
Hear me out here.
leahbroad.substack.com
November 4, 2025 at 12:04 PM
This week I'm tackling why creative women need to be allowed to fail.
Women composers have been judged as women first and artists second for too long. It hampers creativity, and does nobody any credit to make gender such an important part of listening.
leahbroad.substack.com/p/why-creati...
Women composers have been judged as women first and artists second for too long. It hampers creativity, and does nobody any credit to make gender such an important part of listening.
leahbroad.substack.com/p/why-creati...
Reposted by Leah Broad
The new single from the album of Orchestral Works by Avril Coleridge-Taylor is featured on @applemusic #applemusicclassical 'Relaxing Classics' playlist.
Listen now👉 music.apple.com/us/playlist/...
Samantha Ege, piano @jkaconductor.bsky.social @tomedney.bsky.social @leahbroad.bsky.social
Listen now👉 music.apple.com/us/playlist/...
Samantha Ege, piano @jkaconductor.bsky.social @tomedney.bsky.social @leahbroad.bsky.social
November 3, 2025 at 1:29 PM
The new single from the album of Orchestral Works by Avril Coleridge-Taylor is featured on @applemusic #applemusicclassical 'Relaxing Classics' playlist.
Listen now👉 music.apple.com/us/playlist/...
Samantha Ege, piano @jkaconductor.bsky.social @tomedney.bsky.social @leahbroad.bsky.social
Listen now👉 music.apple.com/us/playlist/...
Samantha Ege, piano @jkaconductor.bsky.social @tomedney.bsky.social @leahbroad.bsky.social
Reposted by Leah Broad
This was such a wonderful project to be part of!
October 24, 2025 at 11:57 AM
This was such a wonderful project to be part of!
First listen to our new Avril Coleridge-Taylor album! This is the second movement of her Piano Concerto, dedicated to Edward Elgar, played by @jkaconductor.bsky.social, Samantha Ege & BBC Philharmonic. I hope you like it 🥹🥹🥹 open.spotify.com/track/7sBFQ5...
Piano Concerto in F Minor: II. Adagio
open.spotify.com
October 24, 2025 at 9:21 AM
First listen to our new Avril Coleridge-Taylor album! This is the second movement of her Piano Concerto, dedicated to Edward Elgar, played by @jkaconductor.bsky.social, Samantha Ege & BBC Philharmonic. I hope you like it 🥹🥹🥹 open.spotify.com/track/7sBFQ5...
*NEW POST*
November's going to be a big month for composer Rebecca Clarke. All her works will be published, her songs recorded, and a focus day on her music at the Wigmore Hall. In this week's post I'm writing about why Clarke deserves to be celebrated
leahbroad.substack.com/p/celebratin...
November's going to be a big month for composer Rebecca Clarke. All her works will be published, her songs recorded, and a focus day on her music at the Wigmore Hall. In this week's post I'm writing about why Clarke deserves to be celebrated
leahbroad.substack.com/p/celebratin...
October 19, 2025 at 6:44 PM
*NEW POST*
November's going to be a big month for composer Rebecca Clarke. All her works will be published, her songs recorded, and a focus day on her music at the Wigmore Hall. In this week's post I'm writing about why Clarke deserves to be celebrated
leahbroad.substack.com/p/celebratin...
November's going to be a big month for composer Rebecca Clarke. All her works will be published, her songs recorded, and a focus day on her music at the Wigmore Hall. In this week's post I'm writing about why Clarke deserves to be celebrated
leahbroad.substack.com/p/celebratin...
Reposted by Leah Broad
Today is a day when arts degrees are worthless, but the product of those degrees is so valuable it would kill an entire industry if they were made to pay for it.
Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry
Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry
Paul McCartne, Elton John and others signed an open letter.
buff.ly
October 8, 2025 at 10:29 AM
Today is a day when arts degrees are worthless, but the product of those degrees is so valuable it would kill an entire industry if they were made to pay for it.
Reposted by Leah Broad
We’re hiring 💡
We’re looking for a Project Manager (Families) to develop and manage events for families at Wigmore Hall ✨
Find out more and apply here: www.wigmore-hall.org.uk/about-us/jobs/project-manager-families
Deadline: 9.00am on Tuesday 21 October
We’re looking for a Project Manager (Families) to develop and manage events for families at Wigmore Hall ✨
Find out more and apply here: www.wigmore-hall.org.uk/about-us/jobs/project-manager-families
Deadline: 9.00am on Tuesday 21 October
October 8, 2025 at 10:00 AM
We’re hiring 💡
We’re looking for a Project Manager (Families) to develop and manage events for families at Wigmore Hall ✨
Find out more and apply here: www.wigmore-hall.org.uk/about-us/jobs/project-manager-families
Deadline: 9.00am on Tuesday 21 October
We’re looking for a Project Manager (Families) to develop and manage events for families at Wigmore Hall ✨
Find out more and apply here: www.wigmore-hall.org.uk/about-us/jobs/project-manager-families
Deadline: 9.00am on Tuesday 21 October
Reposted by Leah Broad
Saw most of this (not the Beamish, obviously) last week in Skipton and it was a superb evening.
Dorothy Howell's at the Wigmore Hall! Coming up on the 16th - violinist Fenella Humphreys gives the world premiere of 'Tracing' by Sally Beamish, and tonnes of goodies from Prokofiev and Stravinsky to Mendelssohn www.wigmore-hall.org.uk/whats-on/202...
Fenella Humphreys violin; Martin Roscoe piano
Fenella Humphreys violin; Martin Roscoe piano Felix Mendelssohn, Sally Beamish, Stravinsky and more
www.wigmore-hall.org.uk
October 7, 2025 at 8:13 AM
Saw most of this (not the Beamish, obviously) last week in Skipton and it was a superb evening.
Dorothy Howell's at the Wigmore Hall! Coming up on the 16th - violinist Fenella Humphreys gives the world premiere of 'Tracing' by Sally Beamish, and tonnes of goodies from Prokofiev and Stravinsky to Mendelssohn www.wigmore-hall.org.uk/whats-on/202...
Fenella Humphreys violin; Martin Roscoe piano
Fenella Humphreys violin; Martin Roscoe piano Felix Mendelssohn, Sally Beamish, Stravinsky and more
www.wigmore-hall.org.uk
October 7, 2025 at 8:10 AM
Dorothy Howell's at the Wigmore Hall! Coming up on the 16th - violinist Fenella Humphreys gives the world premiere of 'Tracing' by Sally Beamish, and tonnes of goodies from Prokofiev and Stravinsky to Mendelssohn www.wigmore-hall.org.uk/whats-on/202...
Reposted by Leah Broad
If you were following the last run of #FirstLastAnything, we had @leahbroad.bsky.social as a guest, and she mentioned an upcoming Avril Coleridge-Taylor disc, with the first ever recordings of several works. Leah's excellent blog has a new post on this. leahbroad.substack.com/p/avril-cole...
Avril Coleridge-Taylor World Premiere Recording Klaxon!!
No subtlety here, I am very excited about this recording
leahbroad.substack.com
October 5, 2025 at 2:10 PM
If you were following the last run of #FirstLastAnything, we had @leahbroad.bsky.social as a guest, and she mentioned an upcoming Avril Coleridge-Taylor disc, with the first ever recordings of several works. Leah's excellent blog has a new post on this. leahbroad.substack.com/p/avril-cole...
It's finally here!! Avril Coleridge-Taylor is getting the first album ever dedicated entirely to her works. My post this week is about why Avril, her music, and the album matter
"Her compositions tell both one woman’s story, and a whole social history too."
leahbroad.substack.com/p/avril-cole...
"Her compositions tell both one woman’s story, and a whole social history too."
leahbroad.substack.com/p/avril-cole...
October 5, 2025 at 11:02 AM
It's finally here!! Avril Coleridge-Taylor is getting the first album ever dedicated entirely to her works. My post this week is about why Avril, her music, and the album matter
"Her compositions tell both one woman’s story, and a whole social history too."
leahbroad.substack.com/p/avril-cole...
"Her compositions tell both one woman’s story, and a whole social history too."
leahbroad.substack.com/p/avril-cole...
Happy release day to Dobrinka Tabakova! I cannot recommend this beautiful album enough - it is every bit the perfect successor to her wonderful 'String Paths'. Give yourself a Friday treat and take an hour to listen to this ❤️
open.spotify.com/album/7azNPv...
open.spotify.com/album/7azNPv...
September 26, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Happy release day to Dobrinka Tabakova! I cannot recommend this beautiful album enough - it is every bit the perfect successor to her wonderful 'String Paths'. Give yourself a Friday treat and take an hour to listen to this ❤️
open.spotify.com/album/7azNPv...
open.spotify.com/album/7azNPv...
What should we do with recordings by artists whose views we disagree with? And does it change how we hear Beethoven's music, knowing that it was used to bolster the Nazi regime?
On pianists Myra Hess and Elly Ney, and Beethoven on both sides of #WWII
open.substack.com/pub/leahbroa...
On pianists Myra Hess and Elly Ney, and Beethoven on both sides of #WWII
open.substack.com/pub/leahbroa...
September 24, 2025 at 12:28 PM
What should we do with recordings by artists whose views we disagree with? And does it change how we hear Beethoven's music, knowing that it was used to bolster the Nazi regime?
On pianists Myra Hess and Elly Ney, and Beethoven on both sides of #WWII
open.substack.com/pub/leahbroa...
On pianists Myra Hess and Elly Ney, and Beethoven on both sides of #WWII
open.substack.com/pub/leahbroa...
Reposted by Leah Broad
Fascinating read about a real badass (which is a good thing in case it wasn't obvious) who also wrote some amazing music. Before listening to the new CPO disc I had only heard her 2nd symphony. Now I'm thirsty for more. <3
NEW POST
This week I'm thinking about the role of music in political conflict.
Meet French Resistance composer Elsa Barraine, whose compositions responded to the rise of fascism in Europe
"Music would become Barraine's mode of resistance"
open.substack.com/pub/leahbroa...
This week I'm thinking about the role of music in political conflict.
Meet French Resistance composer Elsa Barraine, whose compositions responded to the rise of fascism in Europe
"Music would become Barraine's mode of resistance"
open.substack.com/pub/leahbroa...
The composer who defied the Nazis
Eight pieces to start listening to French Resistance composer Elsa Barraine
open.substack.com
September 22, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Fascinating read about a real badass (which is a good thing in case it wasn't obvious) who also wrote some amazing music. Before listening to the new CPO disc I had only heard her 2nd symphony. Now I'm thirsty for more. <3
NEW POST
This week I'm thinking about the role of music in political conflict.
Meet French Resistance composer Elsa Barraine, whose compositions responded to the rise of fascism in Europe
"Music would become Barraine's mode of resistance"
open.substack.com/pub/leahbroa...
This week I'm thinking about the role of music in political conflict.
Meet French Resistance composer Elsa Barraine, whose compositions responded to the rise of fascism in Europe
"Music would become Barraine's mode of resistance"
open.substack.com/pub/leahbroa...
The composer who defied the Nazis
Eight pieces to start listening to French Resistance composer Elsa Barraine
open.substack.com
September 21, 2025 at 6:12 PM
NEW POST
This week I'm thinking about the role of music in political conflict.
Meet French Resistance composer Elsa Barraine, whose compositions responded to the rise of fascism in Europe
"Music would become Barraine's mode of resistance"
open.substack.com/pub/leahbroa...
This week I'm thinking about the role of music in political conflict.
Meet French Resistance composer Elsa Barraine, whose compositions responded to the rise of fascism in Europe
"Music would become Barraine's mode of resistance"
open.substack.com/pub/leahbroa...
Would anyone be interested in a kind of music appreciation club via my Substack?
Maybe once a fortnight I'd pick a piece of classical music & provide a listening guide, info about the piece/composer, qs for discussion & further listening/reading.
Yes/no?
Maybe once a fortnight I'd pick a piece of classical music & provide a listening guide, info about the piece/composer, qs for discussion & further listening/reading.
Yes/no?
September 20, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Would anyone be interested in a kind of music appreciation club via my Substack?
Maybe once a fortnight I'd pick a piece of classical music & provide a listening guide, info about the piece/composer, qs for discussion & further listening/reading.
Yes/no?
Maybe once a fortnight I'd pick a piece of classical music & provide a listening guide, info about the piece/composer, qs for discussion & further listening/reading.
Yes/no?
NEW POST about pianists Myra Hess & Elly Ney, and how they used Beethoven during #WWII.
"Myra and Elly’s stories show just how mercurial musical meaning can be, and how much the stories we tell about music matter."
open.substack.com/pub/leahbroa...
"Myra and Elly’s stories show just how mercurial musical meaning can be, and how much the stories we tell about music matter."
open.substack.com/pub/leahbroa...
Conscripting Beethoven
How two pianists used Beethoven on both sides of World War II
open.substack.com
September 7, 2025 at 11:51 AM
NEW POST about pianists Myra Hess & Elly Ney, and how they used Beethoven during #WWII.
"Myra and Elly’s stories show just how mercurial musical meaning can be, and how much the stories we tell about music matter."
open.substack.com/pub/leahbroa...
"Myra and Elly’s stories show just how mercurial musical meaning can be, and how much the stories we tell about music matter."
open.substack.com/pub/leahbroa...
Reposted by Leah Broad
I recommend this fabulous, perfect Sunday reading and listening, and look forward to delving into the fascinating playlist some more.
NEW! In ep 28 of #FirstLastAnything, author, broadcaster and musician Dr Leah Broad (@leahbroad.bsky.social) joins me to talk about the representation of women composers in classical music, her stupendous award-winning book #Quartet, and the BBC Proms. firstlastanything.co.uk/2025/08/24/f...
FLA 28: Dr Leah Broad (24/08/2025)
Picture (c) Monika Tomiczek Since the day I started reading the author, broadcaster and musician Dr Leah Broad’s magnificent Quartet: How Four Women Challenged the Musical World in the early spring…
firstlastanything.co.uk
August 24, 2025 at 2:07 PM
I recommend this fabulous, perfect Sunday reading and listening, and look forward to delving into the fascinating playlist some more.
Reposted by Leah Broad
Thank you x a million @whenisbirths.bsky.social and @leahbroad.bsky.social
Best FLA yet?? Possibly! So good
And so much here I'm banking to listen to later (just got to get to tomorrow - just the tiny matter of Elijah tonight in the way)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Best FLA yet?? Possibly! So good
And so much here I'm banking to listen to later (just got to get to tomorrow - just the tiny matter of Elijah tonight in the way)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
August 24, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Thank you x a million @whenisbirths.bsky.social and @leahbroad.bsky.social
Best FLA yet?? Possibly! So good
And so much here I'm banking to listen to later (just got to get to tomorrow - just the tiny matter of Elijah tonight in the way)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Best FLA yet?? Possibly! So good
And so much here I'm banking to listen to later (just got to get to tomorrow - just the tiny matter of Elijah tonight in the way)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Reposted by Leah Broad
Excellent interview! I can thoroughly recommend @leahbroad.bsky.social’s book so engagingly written.
August 24, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Excellent interview! I can thoroughly recommend @leahbroad.bsky.social’s book so engagingly written.
Reposted by Leah Broad
ICYMI, my conversation with the brilliant Dr Leah Broad (@leahbroad.bsky.social). We covered so much here, incredibly grateful to her for her time and expertise. #FirstLastAnything
NEW! In ep 28 of #FirstLastAnything, author, broadcaster and musician Dr Leah Broad (@leahbroad.bsky.social) joins me to talk about the representation of women composers in classical music, her stupendous award-winning book #Quartet, and the BBC Proms. firstlastanything.co.uk/2025/08/24/f...
FLA 28: Dr Leah Broad (24/08/2025)
Picture (c) Monika Tomiczek Since the day I started reading the author, broadcaster and musician Dr Leah Broad’s magnificent Quartet: How Four Women Challenged the Musical World in the early spring…
firstlastanything.co.uk
August 26, 2025 at 6:22 AM
ICYMI, my conversation with the brilliant Dr Leah Broad (@leahbroad.bsky.social). We covered so much here, incredibly grateful to her for her time and expertise. #FirstLastAnything
Reposted by Leah Broad
New interview! Had such a great time chatting with @leahbroad.bsky.social for Choir & Organ magazine's Autumn 2025 issue, delving into just some of my compositional interests and experiences over the past few years, with a particular focus on my choral output.
www.gramophone.co.uk/choir-and-or...
www.gramophone.co.uk/choir-and-or...
Interview with Emily Hazrati
Leah Broad explores the influences, collaborations and philosophy of a young composer
www.gramophone.co.uk
August 27, 2025 at 1:38 PM
New interview! Had such a great time chatting with @leahbroad.bsky.social for Choir & Organ magazine's Autumn 2025 issue, delving into just some of my compositional interests and experiences over the past few years, with a particular focus on my choral output.
www.gramophone.co.uk/choir-and-or...
www.gramophone.co.uk/choir-and-or...