“Feminine Fusion” is a weekly radio program that highlights the influence of women in classical music. These are the women throughout history and into the present day who create, perform, and inspire. Composer/announcer Diane Jones of WCNY-FM in Syracuse, NY is your host, and every week showcases some of these remarkable women.
Women are the central, unifying focus of this series. It is important to note, however, that their influence is broad-ranging, crossing the boundaries of culture, race, and gender. Who can know what might have happened to the likes of Aaron Copland, Donald Byrd, or Quincy Jones had they not studied with Nadia Boulanger?
“Had you asked me 10 years ago if I would have introduced a program focused on women in music, I would have said ‘no.’ Growing up in a houseful of brothers, I was always treated as their equal,” says Jones. “But there is still gender bias in the music world. I am anxious for the time when we no longer separate composers from women composers, or conductors from women conductors.”
Some of the individuals highlighted in this program entered the world of the arts knowing they faced opposition, and gathered their strength to face it head on. Others simply took to their chosen path, often unaware of the impact their actions would have. In every case, however, they have touched hearts and souls with their art.
Diane Jones
Diane Jones is the host of Feminine Fusion, aired every week on WCNY-FM. An active composer, she has received commissions from nationally and internationally-recognized musicians and ensembles, as well as completing 5 residencies in Syracuse area schools, introducing young musicians to composition. Diane performs regularly with Samba Laranja and the Central New York Flute Choir, and her music has been featured on two SAMMY-award winning CDs. Follow Diane on Bluesky (@composerjones.bsky.social) and Facebook (here) for more about her programming and her music.
| Air Date | Program Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| May 24 - 30 | Looking West, Part 5 | Let's hear some of the innovative works by women being created and performed in the west, the seat of classical music |
| May 31 - June 6 | Looking Home, Part 5 | We complete our trip around the world as we return home to hear works performed and composed by women in the US |
| June 7 - 13 | At the Keyboard, Part 5 | More performances from women playing piano and organ |
| June 14 - 20 | Plucked, Part 6 | Music for plucked instruments - harp, guitar, and more. |
| June 21 - 27 | Summer Shimmers | We welcome Summer with music composed and performed by women honoring the season |
| June 28 - July 4 | Patchwork Quilt, Part XLVII | No special theme, just great music composed and performed by women. |
| July 5 - 11 | Honoring America | Let's take a listen to works by women across the US honoring their homeland |
| July 12 - 18 | Fiery Red | The summer heat is on, so what better time to hear works and performance steeped in heat and fire |
| July 19 - 25 | Oceans of Sound | Music of the sea - sometimes peaceful, sometimes stormy |
| July 26 - Aug 1 | Rooted in Earth | Performances and compositions grounded in the earth - strong and comforting |
| Aug 2 - 8 | Carried on the Wind | Woodwinds and music of the wind fill the air |
| Aug 9 - 15 | In the Spotlight, Part 2 | Women touring the world as soloists |
| Aug 16 - 22 | Portrait: Caroline Shaw | She's won a Pulitzer Prize and four Grammy awards. This hour is filled with music by the outstanding composer, Caroline Shaw. |
| Aug 23 - 29 | Patchwork Quilt, Part XLVIII | No special theme, just great music composed and performed by women. |
| Aug 30 - Sept 5 | Season 9 Wrap-Up | A look back at what we've heard in throughout Season 9 of Feminine Fusion! |
November 29, 2025
“Music is the shorthand of emotion.” – Leo Tolstoy Let’s put together another Patchwork Quilt episode! “Patchwork Quilt, Part XLX” Iris Elezi: Improvisation on Albanian Folk Songs Iris Elezi, piano “A Scarlet String of Fire” Ieosous Records 99878 Hilda Jerea: Roumanian Dances (on folk motives collected by Bartók) Kobayashi/Gray Duo “Listen! Hear Her Voice” Albany 1999 Shuying Li: Out Came the Sun Boston Modern Orchestra Project; Gil Rose, conductor “The Last Hive Mind” BMOP 1106 Ketty Nez: through the light Gabriela Diaz & Lilit Hartunian, violin Samuel Kelder, viola; David Russell, cello “through the light” Albany 1991 Traditional Breton: Marv Pontkalleg Rita Costanzi, harp “Song of the Stars” Navona 6749 58:29 Feminine Fusion highlights the roles of women in classical music. Host Diane Jones brings you stories and music of the women who create, perform, and inspire. Produced in the studios at WCNY-FM. Read More
November 22, 2025
“Percussion is physical, as most instruments are. The body must function well in order to play the instruments well.” – Evelyn Glennie There are certain characteristics that identify an instrument as a piano – a keyboard, pedals, etc. Or a flute. But what is “percussion?” This episode shares works and performances from women specializing on the marimba. “It’s a Percussion Thing” J.S. Bach: Prelude & Fugue No. 1 from “The Well Tempered Clavier, Book I” Beverley Johnston, marimba “Marimbach” CBC 1033 John Thrower: Aurora borealis Katarzyna Myćka, marimba Franz Bach, Thomas Keltch, Michael Schuller – percussion “Marimba Dance” Audite 97462 Marta Ptaszynska: Graffito Sun-Min Shim, marimba “Graffito” Animato 6110 Toru Takemitsu: Raintree Daniella Ganeva, marimba “50 Minimalist Classics” Signum Tim Brady: Circling Marie-Josée Simard, marimba Lise Daoust, flute “Laube Enchantée” Atma Classique 22115 Run time: 58:30 Feminine Fusion highlights the roles of women in classical music. Host […] Read More
November 15, 2025
“Even though I am the only live performer in each piece, it never feels like a solo. I actually feel that I am in a way performing with the composer.'” – Yvonne Lam, violin Over the centuries, the acceptance and propriety of women playing stringed instruments has varied widely. In Victorian England, women who insisted on playing cello did so sitting side-saddle, so as not to place the instrument between their legs. We’ve come a long way since then. On this episode, performances from some of today’s best string players. “It’s a String Thing” Leonard Bernstein: Make Our Garden Grow, from “Candide” Ofra Harnoy, cello Mike Herriott, trumpet H&H Studio Orchestra “Portrait” H&H Records Zoltan Kodaly: Adagio Nobuko Imai, viola Roland Pöntenen, piano “Viola Bouquet” Philips 446103 Irene Britton Smith: Sonata for Violin and Piano Dawn Wohn, violin Emely Phelps, piano “Unbounded: Music by American Women” Delos 3599 Henry Purcell: Fantazias (selected) […] Read More
November 1, 2025
“Don’t worry too much about what other people think. Have fun. Listen to music a lot, and music that you love, and have fun – it’s really about that.” – Lucienne Renaudin Vary Despite an ever-present gender bias, these women are making waves in the world of brass. “It’s a Brass Thing” Melissa D’Albora: Remembrance Kateřina Javůrková, French horn “Brass Tacks 3” Navona 6714 Reena Esmail: Khirkiyaan: Three Transformations for Brass Quintet Seraph Brass “Showcase” Tower Grove Records Sara Jacovino: Garden Story Calliope Brass “Second Nature” Navona 6672 Victoria Bond: The Voices of Air JoDee Davis, trombont Dan Velicer, piano “The Voices of Air” Albany 1842 Antonion Rosetti: Horn Concerto in E Major Sarah Willis, French Horn Chamber Orchestra of Mannheim; Johannes Moesus, conductor “Rosetti – Horn Concertos” CPO 7772882 Astor Piazzolla: Maria de Buenos Aires Lucienne Renaudin Vary, trumpet Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra; Sascha Goetzel, conductor “Piazzolla Stories” Warner […] Read More
October 25, 2025
“Son of the mountain am I Far from home and making my song But my heart is in the mountain With the heather and small birds” – John Ceiriog Hughes, Nant y Mynydd This week, music inspired by birds and beasts, real and imagined. “Birds and Beasts” Ursula Mamlok: The Birds Dream Holger Groschopp, piano “Ursula Mamlok, Volume 5” Bridge 9457 Cynthia Miller: Bird Quartet Amernet String Quartet “Alabama String Quartets” MSR Classics 1685 Hilary Tann: With the Heather and Small Birds Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra; Kirk Trevor, conductor “Here, The Cliffs: Orchestral Music of Hilary Tann” North South 1056 Jennifer Higdon: An Exaltation of Larks Lark Quartet “An Exaltation of Larks” Bridge 9379 Du Yun: When a Tiger Meets a Rosa Rugosa Hilary Hahn, violin; Cory Smythe, piano “In 27 Pieces” Deutsche Gramophon 19103 Annie Gosfield: The Blue Horse Walks on the Horizon Jasper String Quartet “Unbound” Sono Luminus 92212 […] Read More
October 18, 2025
“I love the silent hour of night, For blissful dreams may then arise, Revealing to my charmed sight What may not bless my waking eyes.” – Anne Brontë The sights and sounds of the night have inspired the works on this episode. From the city to the country, and up into then night sky, the hour is filled with works by these talented women. “Night Music” Adrienne Albert: Nightfall Ovidiu Marinescu, cello; Anna Kislitsyna, piano “Moto Bello” Navona 6156 Jenni Brandon: In the City at Night Elizabeth Starr Masoudnia, English horn “English Horn Expressions” Navona 6500 Margaret Griebling-Haigh, text by Mary Grimm: Night Swimming Sandra Simon, soprano; Danna Sundet, English horn; Randal Fusco, piano “Reflections” Panoramicos Rain Worthington: Yet Still Night Czech Philharmonic Orchestra; Robert Ian Winstin, conductor “Dream Vapors” Navona 6025 Joan Tower: Night Fields Muir Quartet “Black Topaz” New World Records 80470 Missy Mazzoli: Sinfonia (for Orbiting […] Read More
October 11, 2025
“[If] a young woman is inspired to become a composer because I’m a composer, that’s great. And if a Black person is inspired, that’s great. From that point of view I like [being known as a Black woman composer], and I don’t mind the terms. But I don’t like them being used to set me apart from anybody, and say it makes my music better, or not better.” — Dorothy Rudd Moore Time for another Patchwork Quilt episode. No special theme, just great music composed or performed by talented women. “Patchwork Quilt, Part XLIX” Scott Joplin/Carlos Gardel, arr. Adam Maness: Solace/Por una cabeza Cally Banham, English horn Cortango “Tango to the Cor” Independent Julia Smith: Quartet for Strings Apollo Chamber Players “Trace of Time” Azica Molly Joyce: Dew of the Moon Allison Adams, saxophone “Flames Will Grow” Albany 1977 Heidi Jacob: Suite for Flute and Piano Lindsey Goodman, […] Read More
October 4, 2025
“I had no idea that composing was a possibility. I had never played anything by someone that was living.” – Angélica Negrón In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, a program dedicated to Hispanic and Latin women composers. Hispanic and Latinx Composers Maria Grever: Un Beso Maria Luisa Tamex, soprano; Angel Rodriguez, piano “Canta a Maria Grever y Augustin Lara” Urtext 277 Teresa Carreño: String Quartet in B minor Fairmount String Quartet “Unleashed” Spring Garden Records Tania León: Singin’ Sepia Continuum Ensemble “Singin’ Sepia” Bridge 9231 Angélica Negrón: Pedacito de Tierra José Antonio Zayas Cabán, saxophone; Ryan Smith, saxophone; Casey Rafn, piano Recorded voices “Pedacito de Tierra” Navona 6776 Run time: 58:30 Feminine Fusion highlights the roles of women in classical music. Host Diane Jones brings you stories and music of the women who create, perform, and inspire. Produced in the studios at WCNY-FM. Read More
September 27, 2025
“Those who wish to sing always find a song.” – Swedish proverb It’s a special feeling to hear women singing together. This week music reflecting science, sonics, and society, from all-female vocal ensembles. Songs Touching Many Hearts, Part 2 Tellu Turkka: Ancient Vocabularies Carmina Slovenica “DERT endemic songs” Independent Eric Tuan: Displacement Peninsula Women’s Chorus “Women Making Waves” Independent Joan Szymko, text by Audre Lorde: She Who Makes Her Meaning Clear (Gamba Adisa) MUSE, Cincinnati’s Women’s Choir “We Who Make Our Meaning Clear” Independent Sound Circle: Into the Night Sound Circle “Invitation: Sonic Explorations” Independent Richard Einhorn: The Origin (excerpts) Kitka “The Origin” Independent Run time: 58:30 Feminine Fusion highlights the roles of women in classical music. Host Diane Jones brings you stories and music of the women who create, perform, and inspire. Produced in the studios at WCNY-FM. Read More
September 20, 2025
“In the deep fall don’t you imaging the leaves think how comfortable it will be to touch the earth instead of the nothingness of air and the endless freshets of wind?” – Mary Oliver, “Song for Autumn” A harvest of music from around the globe inspired by Autumn in the air. “Autumn Leaves” Dulcie Holland: The Fallen Leaf Cynthia Green Libby, oboe; Peter Collins, piano “Daystream Dances: Women Composers for Oboe” Hester Park 7707 Anna-Lena Laurin: Autumn Fields Amalie Stalheim, cello Malmö Symphony Orchestra; Paul Mägi, conductor “Anna-Lena Laurin: Orchestral Works” Vanguard Music Boulevard 145 Mary Mageau: An Early Autumn’s Dreaming Polish Radio & TV Symphony Orchestra, Krakow; Szymon Kawalla, conductor “I Am An American Woman” Vienna Modern Masters 3029 Jennifer Higdon: Autumn Reflections Susan Glaser, flute; John Novacek, piano “Jennifer Higdon: Summer Shimmers” Koch International 7738 Margaret Brandman: […] Read More
