In the world of musical composition, men have long overshadowed women. But as the prominence of women composers increases, so does interest in their lives and works. This is the first substantive biographical reference book geared toward the student or non-specialist, featuring information on nearly 200 women composers of the Western music tradition from the 9th century to the 21st. Composers were chosen based on the excellence of their music, their importance in the period's daily musical life, and the availability of information on their lives, music, and recordings. Taken together, they represent a broad range of styles, countries, and eras. This book is a valuable resource for students from high school through university, and for anyone interested in musical history and composers. The book is arranged by style of music and chronology. Each profiled composer placed is related to the famous male composers, arts, sciences, and politics of her period. Profiles include biographical information and focus on the composer's work and association with other musicians. Also included for each composer are a discography of her recorded works (including a list of those available in modern editions) and a bibliography of additional print and electronic resources. Timelines place the women in historical context and appendixes organize them by country, century, and type of music. A syllabus of study is provided.