LGBTQ+ Artists Represented in the Performing Arts Special Collections in the Library of Congress Music Division, Emily Baumgart, (January 2021).
This annotated database of finding aids, compiled by LC’s Archives Processing Technician, provides links to the multitude of resources available. While these holdings focus on Western art music, the compiler acknowledges various lacunae such as women, artists of color, transgender, nonbinary, and gender-non-conforming artists. However, LC is committed to expanding its collections of these communities in the future.
The Institute for Composer Diversity (ICD)
Based in SUNY-Fredonia's School of Music, ICD “works to encourage the discovery, study, and performance of music written by composers from underrepresented groups [. . . .] to positively impact three important groups: the audiences and students who will engage with the music, the conductors, performers, and educators who serve to bring that music to those audiences and students, and the composers themselves. ICD works in three main areas: databases, analysis, and action. Our databases have been created to allow the musical community to discover works by composers from underrepresented groups. Our analysis studies programming trends to provide evidence on where diverse programming is occurring and where it is needed. Finally, we provide simple and effective ideas toward more diverse and inclusive repertoire decisions.”
ICD is comprised of three different databases: Composer Database, Works Database, and Choral Database. The Composer Database “is a resource for the musical community through which composers from underrepresented groups can be discovered.” The Works Database “allows users to search for individual compositions with numerous search filters from art songs, wind band works, and orchestral works by composers from underrepresented groups.” The Choral Database “contains the choral works of composers from underrepresented groups who have consented to being represented in our databases, and whose profiles you can find in the linked Composer Database.”
ProQuest Dissertations and Theses (accessible via the "Databases" tab at https://library.unt.edu/)
A search using the terms “lgbtq” and “music” yields over 10,000 results. Some of the more pertinent results to this topic are listed below.
de Coteau, Aneysha. Intersectionality in Music Education: Seeing Beyond the Rainbow. Master’s thesis. University of Delaware (2018).
Massey, Justin Thomas. Music Technology, Gender, and Sexuality: Case Studies of Women and Queer Electroacoustic Music Composers. DMA dissertation. West Virginia University (2019).
Queer Music Heritage
“From January 2000 until March 2015 ‘Queer Music Heritage’ was both a radio show and a website, and the goal of both was to preserve and share the music of our culture. It has become the resource on the net for the history of LGBT music. Each month's page gives the playlist and additional pages of info, and you can stream or download every show; there's over 580 hours of programming available. This is a deep site, covering over 2000 pages.”
