In association with Dr Jodie Blackshaw (NSW), Rachel Howley (QLD), and Dr Paul De Cinque (WA) the NBCA have collated a list of works by female composers, both Australian and international, for bands in higher grades. This list is intended to be a “one-stop shop” for conductors when looking for engaging works to select as Own Choices for Australian and State Contests. In addition to the names, length, and grade level, we have included links to composer websites, online scores, and recordings where available so you can see and hear these wonderful pieces of music. We also hope this list will support music selection boards across the country in finding works that can be used as Test Pieces for upcoming National and State Contests.

We have focussed only on Grade 4+ works for wind band as Dr Jodie Blackshaw already has a wonderful list of Grade 1-4 works by female composers for wind band on her website that can be accessed here. The Band Association of NSW are active in promoting Australian composers and publishers and has a comprehensive list on their website for you to browse Australian content. You can access the Composer & Publisher Databases here. More generally, there are a number of web-based resources on diversity in programming for you to consider, including searching for composers by nationality and gender at The Wind Repertory Project, ColourFULL Music, and the Institute for Composer Diversity.

This list is in its infancy, and we hope it continues to grow over the coming years. If you have suggestions of works you would like to see added, please contact us at the NBCA with details of the works so we can consider them for addition. We are hoping to broaden the list as well with a list of hymns and marches by female composers as well, to provide further options for bands at contests. We hope you take the time to listen and explore these wonderful works by female composers and hope to see a range of them selected as Own Choices in the coming years.

The table is fully sortable by clicking on the column headings. A recording of each work can be obtained by clicking on the title.



Composer Title Format Grade Length Country Order Info
Abbott, Katy Fast Ride in a Suave Machine Wind 4.5 07 mins Australia Order Info
Abbott, Katy Jumeirah Jane Wind 4.5 03 mins Australia Order Info
Archer, Kimberly K. American Labor Songs Wind 5 19 mins USA Order Info
Archer, Kimberly K. Common Threads Wind 6 09 mins USA Order Info
Barnett, Carol E. Cyprian Suite Wind 4 16 mins USA Order Info
Barnett, Carol E. Tirana Wind 4 07 mins USA Order Info
Baugher, Grace Crown and Collar Wind 4 06 mins USA Order Info
Baugher, Grace Mirage Wind 4.5 07 mins USA Order Info
Beaugeais, Katia First Light at Uluru Wind 5 12 mins Australia Order Info
Bergman, Katherine Dream Machine Wind 4 07 mins USA Order Info
Bergman, Katherine Over Wild Solitude Wind 4 07 mins USA Order Info
Berk, Stacey Fanfare Jubilee Wind 4 05 mins USA Order Info
Bingham, Judith Prague Brass A 13 mins UK TBA
Bingham, Judith The Stars Above, the Earth Below Brass A 14 mins UK TBA
Blackshaw, Jodie Catango 5 Wind 4 08 mins Australia Order Info
Blackshaw, Jodie Peace Dancer Wind 5 06 mins Australia Order Info
Blackshaw, Jodie Soulström Wind 5 17 mins Australia Order Info
Blackshaw, Jodie Symphony No. 1: "Leunig's Prayer Book" Wind 5/6 26 mins Australia Order Info
Blackshaw, Jodie Twist Wind 5 13 mins Australia Order Info
Blackshaw, Jodie Vulnerable Joy Wind 4 05 mins Australia Order Info
Bowen, Jessica Lauren Train of Thought Wind 4 02 mins UK Order Info
Bozone, Judy Spilled Orange Wind 5 11 mins USA Order Info
Bremer, Carolyn Early Light Wind 4 05 mins USA Order Info
Bronnenkant, Lindsay Tarot Wind 5 16 mins USA Order Info
Cawrse, Anne Prayer to the Spirit of the New Year Wind 5 06 mins Australia Order Info
Cawrse, Anne Time's Long Ruin Wind 5 11 mins Australia Order Info
Cheney, Lisa Turbulence Wind 6 06 mins Australia Order Info
Coleman, Valerie Roma Wind 5 07 mins USA Order Info
Eötvös, Melody Two Brave Apples in Winter Wind 5 06 mins Australia Order Info
Etezady, Roshanne Anahita Wind 5 15 mins USA Order Info
Etezady, Roshanne Milestone Wind 4 08 mins USA Order Info
Etezady, Roshanne Parhelion Wind 4 06 mins USA Order Info
Farrell, Claire L. From Fern Glade Wind 5 09 mins Australia Order Info
Feery, Amanda Heartworm Wind 4 08 mins Ireland Order Info
Fisher, Danielle Pathways Wind 4.5 06 mins USA Order Info
Fisher, Danielle Ragamuffins: Shenanigans & Tomfoolery Wind 4 03 mins USA Order Info
Fisher, Danielle Reformation Wind 4 05 mins USA Order Info
Frenklakh, Batya A Room of One's Own Wind 4.5 06 mins Israel Order Info
Galbraith, Nancy Euphonic Blues for Brass Brass B 09 mins USA TBA
Galbraith, Nancy Luminosity Brass B 08 mins USA Order Info
Galbraith, Nancy With Brightness Round About It Brass B N/A USA TBA
Gardner, Alexandra Perseids Wind 4 08 mins USA Order Info
Gates, Dorothy Hope Brass C 14 mins Ireland Order Info
Gates, Dorothy Invisible Fire Brass C 14 mins Ireland Order Info
Gates, Dorothy Ravenhill Suite Brass D+ 10 mins Ireland Order Info
Giroux, Julie K2: "The Savage Mountain" Wind 4 08 mins USA Order Info
Giroux, Julie La Mezquita de Córdoba Wind 5 12 mins USA Order Info
Giroux, Julie Of Blood and Stone Wind 5 10 mins USA Order Info
Giroux, Julie Poseidon Wind 5 09 mins USA Order Info
Giroux, Julie Symphony No. 4: "Bookmarks from Japan" Wind 5/6 20 mins USA Order Info
Giroux, Julie The Speed of Heat Wind 6 11 mins USA Order Info
Greenaway, Sally Around the World Wind 4 05 mins Australia Order Info
Greenaway, Sally Worlds Within Worlds Wind 5 08 mins Australia Order Info
Greene, Joni Circean Waters Wind 6 12 mins USA Order Info
Greene, Joni Event Horizon Wind 5 09 mins USA Order Info
Greene, Joni Net Luck Soaring Wind 4 07 mins USA Order Info
Greene, Joni The Moon Glistens Wind 5 18 mins USA Order Info
Griffin, Fran Port Arthur Wind 5 20 mins Australia Order Info
Hablewitz, Christin Malala: Symbol of Courage and Peace Wind 4 12 mins USA Order Info
Hanson, Shelley Albanian Dance Wind 4.5 03 mins USA Order Info
Hanson, Shelley Elegy for Albinoni Wind 4 05 mins USA Order Info
Hanson, Shelley Islas y Montañas Wind 4.5 16 mins USA Order Info
Hanson, Shelley Patapan Wind 4 03 mins USA Order Info
Harrison, Holly Splinter Wind 5 08 mins Australia Order Info
Holst, Imogen The Unfortunate Traveller Brass B 10 mins UK Order Info
Howard, Emily Deep Soul Diving Wind 4 08 mins UK Order Info
Jolley, Jennifer Motordom Wind 4 09 mins USA Order Info
Jolley, Jennifer Through the Looking Glass Falls Wind 5 09 mins USA Order Info
Karoonyavanich, Pat Pimpanit A Journey to the Bermuda Triangle Brass C 14 mins Thailand Order Info
Karoonyavanich, Pat Pimpanit Fire Brass B+ 08 mins Thailand Order Info
Lane, Liz Rhythm of Light Brass B+ 14 mins UK Order Info
Lane, Liz Tide and Time Brass B N/A UK Order Info
Larsen, Libby Concert Dances Wind 6 16 mins USA Order Info
Larsen, Libby Short Symphony Wind 6 13 mins USA Order Info
Larsen, Libby Strut Wind 6 08 mins USA Order Info
Likhuta, Catherine Home Away from Home Wind 4 08 mins Australia Order Info
Likhuta, Catherine Let the Darkness Out Wind 5 12 mins Australia Order Info
Likhuta, Catherine Me Disagrees Wind 5 09 mins Australia Order Info
Likhuta, Catherine Planet B Wind 4 07 mins Australia Order Info
Likhuta, Catherine Through Healers' Eyes Wind 4 06 mins Australia Order Info
Lopszyc, Eva Irene Winds of Love, Lands of Fire and Sea Wind 6 28 mins Argentina Order Info
Love, Karlin G. Musings on a Bach Sarabande Wind 4 06 mins Australia Order Info
Maconchy, Elizabeth Music for Woodwind and Brass Wind 5 10 mins UK Order Info
Mauer, Peri Red Sky Wind 4 06 mins USA TBA
McCune, Sally Lamb High Water Rising Wind 5 09 mins USA Order Info
McTee, Cindy Notezart Wind 5 05 mins USA Order Info
Mier, Shirley Steampunk Overture Wind 4 04 mins USA Order Info
Murphy, Nicole Road Test Wind 4.5 08 mins Australia Order Info
Murphy, Nicole Six Wind 4 07 mins Australia Order Info
Nishimura, Cait In Dreams Wind 4 08 mins Canada Order Info
Nishimura, Cait Intrinsic Light Wind 4 07 mins Canada Order Info
Nishimura, Cait Lake Superior Suite Wind 5 19 mins Canada Order Info
Nishimura, Cait Night Light Wind 4 11 mins Canada Order Info
Nishimura, Yukiko Bright Moon Wind 5 13 mins Japan Order Info
Nishimura, Yukiko Key West Pink! Wind 4 06 mins Japan Order Info
Nishimura, Yukiko Mono/Pastel Wind 5 08 mins Japan Order Info
Nishimura, Yukiko Smiling After the Rain Wind 4 05 mins Japan Order Info
Nishimura, Yukiko Sparkleberry Wind 5 08 mins Japan TBA
Nishimura, Yukiko Summer Triangle for Alto Saxophone and Wind Ensemble Wind 5 14 mins Japan Order Info
Nishimura, Yukiko Water Reflections Wind 5 05 mins Japan Order Info
Pankhurst, Lucy Ghosts of Industry Brass B N/A UK TBA
Pankhurst, Lucy The Elder Futhark Wind 5 11 mins UK TBA
Pankhurst, Lucy (with others) Lucid Perspectives Brass C 13 mins UK Order Info
Perkin, Helen Carnival Brass C 13 mins UK Order Info
Perkin, Helen Cordell Suite Brass D+ N/A UK Order Info
Piunno, Nicole Beauty Broken Wind 5 10 mins USA Order Info
Piunno, Nicole Catharsis Wind 5.5 10 mins USA Order Info
Piunno, Nicole Eternity in an Hour Wind 4 08 mins USA Order Info
Piunno, Nicole Through Wind and Whispers Wind 6 14 mins USA Order Info
Price, Andrea I, Daedalus Brass D 10 mins UK Order Info
Primiani, Leanna Glass Ceiling Wind 6 14 mins USA Order Info
Primiani, Leanna Sirens Wind 6 10 mins USA Order Info
Raum, Elizabeth Echoes of Fort San Wind 5 25 mins Canada Order Info
Raum, Elizabeth One Hundred Years of Fanfares Wind 5 04 mins Canada Order Info
Raum, Elizabeth Sodbuster Wind 4 05 mins Canada Order Info
Reilly, Frankie Dyson Tuska Wind 4 04 mins Australia Order Info
Reinkemeyer, Andrea Dos Danzas Wind 5 10 mins USA Order Info
Salfelder, Kathryn Shadows Ablaze Wind 5 08 mins USA Order Info
Salfelder, Kathryn Ungrounded Base Wind 5 09 mins USA Order Info
Shapiro, Alex Tight Squeeze Wind 4 03 mins USA Order Info
Shapiro, Alex Trains of Thought Wind 4 07 mins USA Order Info
Specht, Elena Bridge to Manhattan Wind 4 05 mins USA Order Info
Specht, Elena Three Places in the West Wind 4 08 mins USA Order Info
Spencer, Shelley A. Saul Brass C 15 mins Australia TBA
Tinmard, Inmard Leave, Sons of Art (Op. 26) Wind 4 06 mins Spain TBA
Vilhelmsen, Ingebjørg Headland Fantasy Brass C+ 10 mins Norway Order Info
Vilhelmsen, Ingebjørg Radioactive Discoveries Brass B+ 14 mins Norway Order Info
Vilhelmsen, Ingebjørg The Cosmographic Mystery Brass A 17 mins Norway Order Info
Whitacre, Diane Rumor Mill Wind 4 04 mins USA Order Info
Williams, Kara Credits for an Un-Made Movie Wind 4 06 mins Australia Order Info
Williams, Kara Overture to an Endless Summer Wind 4 06 mins Australia Order Info
Williams, Natalie Pendulum Wind 5 07 mins Australia Order Info
Williams, Neille Little Fugue on Frere Jaques Wind 4.5 07 mins Australia Order Info
Williams, Neille Scary Clown Theme Wind 4 04 mins Australia Order Info
Williams, Neille The Cop Chases the Robber Wind 4 03 mins Australia Order Info
Woodrow, Haley In Two Places Wind 4 03 mins USA Order Info
Woodrow, Haley Tapestries Wind 4 06 mins USA Order Info

About Us

The National Band Council of Australia is a representative body formed by agreement of the Australian State Governing Bodies which represent four Australian States. It is incorporated under the relevant New South Wales legislation.