Kassia Database- An Art Song Colorado Sponsored Project

WHAT

The Kassia Database is a resource for musicians to aid in the discovery and celebration of art song by women composers. The database includes songs from the Baroque period through the 21st century, and have been categorized by level, voice type, language, composer, and composer dates. Related information includes range, tessitura, piano accompaniment, vocal line, and links to available scores. The analysis is intended for singers from beginning high school through the collegiate level and professional career. The database leads you to find the unique voices and expansive styles of each individual composer, with the hopes to increase performance and advocation of each woman's often overlooked works.
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WHY

To make the search for appropriate works in this vast genre more accessible, bring awareness to the talented composers who created them, and make the inclusion of these incredible works standard in the voice studio, performance hall, and beyond.
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KASSIA

The name Kassia is a tribute to one of the first composers whose works survive to today, who just happened to be a woman. Kassia, or Kassiani, was a ninth-century abbess from Constantinople who composed both liturgical music and poetry. It is thanks to the multitudes of women who fought adversity, judgement, and criticism to create the powerful works that make this database possible.

Logan Contreras, Creator

Logan Contreras is a mezzo-soprano and educator based in Colorado. She is currently Assistant Professor of Music at the University of Northern Colorado. The Kassia Database is a product of Logan's doctoral degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, inspired by her applied teaching as a graduate teaching assistant at the Conservatory.