Composer Database

The Composer Database

Welcome, and thanks for visiting the Composer Database! This database contains the profiles of composers from historically excluded groups who have consented to being represented in our databases, and whose works you can find in the databases linked below. Please consider the following as you search our databases:

  • There is more to come! This is an evolving tool with new composers and works added regularly. It is not an exhaustive list of all repertoire by all composers from historically excluded groups, only those who have consented to be included. If you are a composer who wants to be added, please submit a profile to us!

  • Don’t stop here! The ICD databases are a good first step to finding music and voices of historically excluded groups, but they should not be the only step taken. The ICD recommends that programming diverse voices should not be done to satisfy an occasional checkbox, but should be a long-term commitment to intentionally present these works in programs moving forward. Please learn more about the works, their creators, their contexts, and informed performance practices by visiting the ICD’s Resource Database page.

  • Help us improve! If you have questions, notice an error in a record, please contact us! Report any broken links here.

Tips for using the
Composer Database

Filter the database using the following criteria to focus your search results. A search with no criteria selected will result in the entire collection of composer profiled being displayed. Selecting more than one category within a criteria will result in composers that are listed in either one category or the other.

Database Criteria

For works to appear within this database, the composer/originator must meet specific criteria and, if living, consent to be included. The database includes music that may be considered by some to be problematic due to its history, content, or context. These works remain in the database so that they are available for research purposes. It is up to the database user to research a work’s appropriateness for their specific use. For guidance in making decisions about best practices for programming or to learn more about appropriate performance practice for a given genre or work, please see the ICD Resource Database and Outside Resources pages.