March 6 is Woman Composer Sunday! We join with the American Guild of Organists, the Society for Women Organists, and the Royal College of Organists to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8 by programming at least one organ or choral work by a female composer on the weekend of March 4-6. At St. Michael’s we’re taking it one step further by programming at least one organ, piano, or choral work by a female composer every Sunday in March, which is Women’s History Month.

The organ prelude on March 6 will be Jeanne Demessieux’s choral paraphrase on the Lenten chant “Attende Domine.” Demessieux (1921-1968) was a celebrated French organist, pianist, composer, and teacher, and was the first female organist to sign a record contract. She gave more than 700 concerts throughout Europe and the United States. “Attende Domine” is from her collection of “Twelve Choral-Preludes on Gregorian Chant Themes” composed in 1947 and published in 1950.