Guide to Listening: Festival of Female Composers and Women of Jazz Fest

Surrounding International Women's Day, ABC Classic and ABC Jazz are celebrating women in classical music and jazz with the Festival of Female Composers and Women of Jazz Fest. Jump to our listening guides: Festival of Female Composers on ABC Classic | Women of Jazz Fest on ABC Jazz Across March 3–7, ABC Classic is playing music exclusively by female composers, from historical trailblazers like Hildegard von Bingen to the women creating music in Australia today. Monday 3 March 1pm Lunchtime Concert special: Women of the Baroque 8pm Evenings: Highlights from Women of Note, Volumes 1—6 Tuesday 4 March 1pm Lunchtime Concert special: Symphonic music by women 6pm Legends: Miriam Hyde with her daughter, Christine Edwards 8pm Evenings: Highlights from Women of Note Volumes 1—6 Wednesday 5 March 1pm Lunchtime Concert special: Women composers of the piano 6pm What's On: Must hear 2025 — Female composers in concert 8pm Evenings: Highlights from Women of Note Volumes 1—6 Thursday 6 March 1pm Lunchtime Concert special: Leading screen composers 8pm Evenings: Highlights from Women of Note Volumes 1—6 Friday 7 March 1pm Lunchtime Concert special: The future is female — Living composers shaping the sound of our future 5pm Classic Drive: Drive Live with the Australian String Quartet and Dr Lou Bennett AM 8pm Evenings: Full play of new release album Women of Note Volume 7 11pm Hildathon: Seven hours of bliss to see you through the night with music by Hildegard von Bingen Saturday 8 March 1pm Lunchtime Concert special: Celebrating women conductors 7:30pm Classic Live: Liza Lim's new Cello Concerto A Sutured World, performed by Nicholas Altsteadt with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. 3–9 March Feature Album: Women of Jazz '25 Classic Album: Mary Lou Williams's At Rick's Cafe Americain Monday 3 March 7pm The Dinner Set with Monica Trapaga: Women of Jazz Fest special featuring Spanish/US pianist Marina Albero Saturday 8 March 11am Jazz Legends: Sarah Vaughan hits the airwaves with historic and musical insight from presenter Eric Ajaye 4pm Jazztrack Live: Take a set from guitarist Emily Remler and her band in 1988 Sunday 9 March 9am Upbeat: James Valentine puts the spotlight on Tracey Yang, an amazing leader in large-ensemble jazz 2pm Artist in Residence: A special playlist of piano trios curated by Lauren Tsamouris 4pm Jazztack featuring archive ABC recordings featuring international leaders and emerging artists Sign up to the ABC Classic Newsletter