Unsung Idylls: Towards a Female Soundscape

Elsa Schönwiese (*2000 in Vienna) is a physicist and musician currently based in London. Balancing her dual passions, she is pursuing her master’s degree in Physics at the King’s College London while also training as a conductor, having previously trained at the London Conducting Academy. She is continuing her training through private lessons, masterclasses, and assisting the Hertford Symphony Orchestra. Elsa began her academic journey at the TU Vienna and undertook several academic residencies, including the ITÜ in Istanbul, the CREF in Rome, and an internship last summer at the Complexity Science Hub, where she focused on assessing climate risks in Ecuador. She is currently working on her master’s thesis, analyzing decision making dynamics within the UK Supreme Court.

The Complexity Orchestra is a unique ensemble founded by Elsa Schönwiese. It comprises around 30 musicians of varying levels, ages, and musical backgrounds. The orchestra focuses on promoting and exploring female composers, which are largely underrepresented. Helena Vila Caba, originally from Catalonia and now based in Vienna, began her studies in Rhythmik at MDW and is currently training as a singer while pursuing a music career.

In the concert “Unsung Idylls”, the Complexity Orchestra, conducted by Elsa Schönwiese, is showcasing three very diverse pieces by female composers:

• On Westhall Hill by Imogen Holst (Austrian Premiere)
• 1st mvmt of Concerto for String Orchestra by Grazyna Bacewicz
• Die Liebende Abermals by Josephine Lang, sung by Helena Vila Caba
The orchestra will also perform the “Siegfried Idyll”, a scenic piece written by Richard Wagner.

This performance aims to give three female composers a platform, celebrating some of the voices that continue to be underrepresented in classical music. We are presenting a diverse selection of pieces by women from different parts of Europe with a variety of backgrounds. Among them is On Westhall Hill, which was composed 90 years ago, yet has never before been performed in continental Europe.