Sisters in Sync: 3-2-1 with Hannah Lee Tungate
Hannah Lee Tungate, creative producer and president of Tenth Muse Initiative, is an incredible advocate for underrepresented voices in classical music. Through award-winning shows and innovative projects like the Women Composers Project, she’s creating new platforms for diverse voices in Perth’s music scene. In September's Sisters in Sync interview, Hannah shares her journey, her passion for inclusion, and her vision for a more vibrant and diverse future in classical music.
3 Questions - 2 Insights - 1 unique photo with remarkable women musicians
This month's Sisters in Sync features an inspiring conversation with soprano Hannah Lee Tungate of the Boorloo/Perth-based Tenth Muse Initiative (TMI). Tenth Muse was born out of frustration with the lack of diversity often seen in classical music, but Hannah and her team have transformed that frustration into a vibrant collective that shines a light on diverse voices and fresh perspectives. TMI has achieved remarkable success, including an award-winning Fringe show, nominations in the Performing Arts WA Awards, commissions of new works by emerging composers and poets, and concerts that range from opera to intimate gatherings centred around cups of tea.
Hannah’s passion for amplifying underrepresented voices has guided her journey as a producer and advocate for women composers, especially through the Women Composers Project. As TMI’s president and creative producer, Hannah continues to create platforms for new and diverse voices in Western Australian classical music, driving change with her deep commitment to inclusion.
Tenth Muse Initiative's next event, Sapphic Serenade, will be held on Wednesday 20 November at Perth City Farm, featuring beautiful string quartets by sapphic composers and a twilight market with queer-owned businesses. It’s an evening of calming music to celebrate pride—don’t miss it! Click here for tickets.
In this interview, Hannah shares insights into the inspiration behind her career, the importance of mentorship, and how she’s making classical music more engaging and inclusive for future generations.
What’s one piece of advice from a woman in music that has stuck with you?
Back in 2016, the amazing Jessica Gethin was giving a talk at a Women in Music event at UWA, and she said that most people will give you a small amount of their time for a cup of coffee. If there’s someone who’s further along their career than you or that you admire and you’d like to connect with them or learn from them, ask if you can buy them a coffee. A short amount of their time for a cup of coffee, and you just don’t know where it will lead you (and Tenth Muse Initiative actually wouldn’t exist without it).
Who is a lesser-known female musician or composer you believe deserves more recognition and why?
I find it really challenging to choose just one lesser-known woman composer. There are so many out there deserving of recognition, as there have been so many nearly lost to history.
This week I’ve been listening to Henriëtte Bosmans — the incredible Dutch composer who, despite being labelled as an ‘undesirable’ by the Nazi regime & so was prevented from performing publicly, supported herself by performing at secret underground house concerts. Her considerable oeuvre includes orchestral works, chamber music and many songs.
And of course, Barbara Strozzi will always be on my list — though I think (& hope) she’s becoming more and more well known!
How do you think the music industry can better support and uplift women artists and composers?
Acknowledge that there is a lack of gender representation within the sector and then program more music by women, hire more women as soloists, hire more women as conductors, hire more women into creative leadership roles. And then keep doing it. Keep working on removing the barriers that have kept so many artists suppressed.
How has mentorship, especially from other women, played a role in your career, and what value do you think it brings to emerging female artists?
I’ve been very fortunate to have many amazing mentors and 95% have been other women. The mentorship I’ve received has always come from people I truly admire in the industry, and I’ve been lucky to find many people who want to raise you up instead of tear you down. And I want to continue to do that for other emerging artists that follow me. Mentorship from other women has given me the confidence to keep going, and I know I have a raft of people to support me when I need it.
Can you share a pivotal moment in your career that shaped your path as an artist?
It was at PSO’s inaugural Women on the Podium weekend in 2019, and the incredible Bourby Webster was talking to us about the business side of being an artist, and how she’d founded PSO, and all the steps she took to get there. And in that moment the first spark of Tenth Muse Initiative was born. I was so inspired by the path Bourby had taken that it set a fire in me that didn’t go away, and under a year later TMI was born.
I had known that I wanted to see greater representation in the music industry and had been researching women composers for a while, but it was hearing how Bourby took PSO from concept to what the orchestra is today that it just clicked. Everything I have worked towards as an artist since then has been to build Tenth Muse Initiative and tell the stories of all these unheard voices, and raise up artists whose work deserves to be performed.
This image features two people in a virtual meeting. At the top, Hannah Lee Tungate, Creative Producer at Tenth Muse Initiative, smiles at the camera with curly brown hair, wearing glasses and a black top. Her background showcases a vibrant yellow wattle tree against a clear blue sky. Below her, Stephanie Nicholls of Mirabilis Collective smiles as well, wearing glasses and a colourful floral necklace. Behind her is framed artwork featuring musical instruments, including a violin and piano. Both appear engaged and focused on their conversation.
Sapphic Serenade
Sapphic Serenade is an event for the quiet queers. Join Tenth Muse Initiative for an evening of stunning string quartets by sapphic composers; celebrate pride with calming music for voice and strings.
Sisters in Sync: 3-2-1 with Candice Susnjar
In our latest Sisters in Sync interview, we sit down with the talented composer and musician Candice Susnjar. Candice shares her recent discoveries in music by women composers and highlights the powerful impact of mentorship. Dive into the full interview to explore Candice’s journey and her vision for the future of women in music.
3 Questions - 2 Insights - 1 unique photo with remarkable women musicians
In this inspiring Sisters in Sync feature, we connect with Candice Susnjar, a gifted composer and musician whose work resonates with raw emotion and authenticity. Candice shares her recent musical inspirations, including the works of Caroline Shaw, and her passion for unsung female talents like jazz trumpeter Jessica Carlton. Throughout our conversation, Candice reflects on the importance of female voices in music, the value of mentorship, and the advice she wishes she'd had earlier in her career. Her insights provide a powerful glimpse into the experiences of women in the industry, making this a must-read for aspiring musicians and music enthusiasts alike.
What's a recent discovery you've made in music composed or performed by women?
Caroline Shaw’s album Orange has been a beautiful discovery. Her style of composition resonates with me on a deep level and I love her sense of harmony and the textural elements she embraces in her pieces. It reminds me to push myself out of my comfort zone and explore the instruments I am writing for and venture beyond the sounds I am used to hearing and creating.
Who is a lesser-known female musician or composer you believe deserves more recognition and why?
Jessica Carlton is a wonderful jazz trumpet player and composer who plays and composes with such honesty, integrity and beauty. Her music is so authentic and it’s all about the emotion and conveying a message using music. It’s what I aim to do in my own musical expressions.
In what ways do you believe female musicians can drive positive change within the music industry?
Women who show up and live the musical lives they want to live despite the statistics and inherent challenges of being a woman in the music industry are bringing a positive change to the music industry whether they see it or not. The more we show up and put ourselves out there, the more the younger generations will see that this is something they can do too. It just hasn’t been seen enough especially in jazz and classical music.
What piece of advice specifically tailored for women starting in the music industry do you wish you had received?
Just do your thing. Express yourself authentically and with confidence. You may not feel confident but do it anyway. You have something to say that no-one else has ever said and there are people in the world that want to hear it.
How has mentorship, especially from other women, played a role in your career, and what value do you think it brings to emerging female artists?
Encouragement and mentorship from my mentor Bourby Webster has played a significant role in my career. This incredible woman started an orchestra! Her tenacity and courage has been a reminder that we can do anything we set our minds to. Anything is possible. That’s what I would want to tell emerging female artists. Your dreams and goals are possible. Bourby helped me to see that and create a path that continues to lead me closer to these dreams day by day.
Sisters in Sync: 3-2-1 with Fiona Campbell
"Great music transcends genres." Fiona Campbell OAM's creative vision for Perth Symphony Orchestra is bold and inclusive. In our Sisters in Sync interview, she discusses the importance of diverse programming, the power of female role models, and how her own journey shaped her commitment to fostering the next generation of artists.
3 Questions - 2 Insights - 1 unique photo with remarkable women musicians
Fiona Campbell OAM is one of Australia's most celebrated mezzo-sopranos and a powerhouse of creativity shaping the future of classical music. From her award-winning performances to her roles as producer and arts leader, Fiona embodies the dynamic versatility at the heart of the arts scene.
As Perth Symphony Orchestra’s Creative Director, Fiona is constantly finding innovative ways to bring classical music to life. Case in point: PSO’s upcoming Taylor Made concert. This unique performance reimagines Taylor Swift's music with orchestral flair – a testament to Fiona's commitment to fresh experiences, proving that even familiar genres can offer a fearless and fun twist with inspirational creative vision.
Is there a particular performance by a female musician that has significantly impacted you?
Being onstage with Lorraine Hunt-Lieberson at Glyndebourne Festival Opera, singing the role of Irene in Handel’s Theodora, many years ago, was astonishingly powerful for me as a young singer. She took the music ‘off the page’ in a way I had never heard anyone do before. Her embodiment of the text and music was completely inspirational and something I still aspire towards in my music making.
What moment in your career made you feel most empowered as a woman in the music industry?
I would have to say being appointed as Creative Director for Perth Symphony Orchestra. It was the culmination of years as a professional musician and working hard to make pathways into artistic direction. It is an incredible privilege to lead the artistic vision for a company, particularly one that is known for #breakingtherules. Now I’m incredibly fortunate to be in this position, where I can really enjoy flexing my creative muscles, produce a wide variety of concerts and employ a huge number of extraordinarily talented artists and musicians.
In what ways do you believe female musicians can drive positive change within the music industry?
Most positively through empowerment and mentorship. Female musicians can serve as positive role models and mentors for aspiring artists, particularly other women and girls. By generously offering guidance, providing support, encouragement, and opportunities, it really is possible to empower the next generation of musicians to pursue their dreams and navigate the challenges of the industry.
What advice would you give to young women aspiring to build a career in music?
Find your ‘voice’, the thing that makes you, uniquely you! There is of course the necessity to work hard, and the discipline required to master your instrument, but I would add, work smart, work generously and work with joy. Look beyond the mainstream way of presenting music, and ask yourself what resonates with you? What is it about music that excites you? And chase that!
