Lied the Way is a community of female pianists inspired by the art song repertoire — its practice, performance and relevance in today’s society.
We believe that the art song repertoire in its intimacy, richness and diversity offers a broad spectrum of artistic expression yet to be explored. The future of art song lies in committed performers who are willing to present the form in new avenues and mediums to engage audiences. Because of this, Lied the Way is invested in connecting and empowering women to find and commit to their unique artistic voice, as well as supporting the innovative projects they envision.
We believe in a holistic view of each artist built on three tenants: well-being, craft and career. To function as an artist, each woman needs to attend to both her inner and outer world, finding a balance in order to bring the music — and her career — to life.
We are pianists, artists, musicians, creatives, entrepreneurs.
We are women. We Lied the Way.
Why “Lied the Way”?
Similar to other realms in the classical music industry, classical Art Song performance suffers from an underrepresentation of female pianists at the highest level. At the conservatories, masterclasses and competitions, there are just as many if not more talented and driven female Art Song pianists as male; yet those who have gone on to have successful performing and teaching careers throughout Europe and the USA have remained predominately male. No one has provided an adequate explanation as to why this has been the case, despite having often been questioned. While there have been many initiatives within the classical musical industry to raise awareness and invest in the future for women in fields such as conducting and composing, nothing has yet been done for female Art Song pianists. Lied the Way is an initiative founded and directed by Elenora Pertz to connect female pianists within the industry and help them acquire the necessary tools to bring their artistic visions to life.
Meet the Team
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Elenora Pertz
FOUNDER and ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Elenora Pertz is a pioneer in the field of collaborative piano. She has performed on stages such as Wigmore Hall, Berlin Philharmonic, and Festspielhaus Baden Baden and recorded for labels such as Hännsler Classic and Brecords. Since the Winter semester of 2023 she has her own Art Song class at the Hochschule für Künste Bremen and teaches a seminar on creativity for the singers at the Universität der Künste Berlin. Her biggest take-away from the workshops has been to see what women are capable of creating when put into a supportive and nourishing environment.
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Emily Hehl
PROJECT MANAGER
Emily Hehl is a stage director and musician. In Brussels, she collaborates with Needcompany in all areas of the performative arts, and her opera productions can be seen on stages such as Aalto-Theater Essen and Oper Dortmund. In her artistic work, she is creating equally with soloists, choirs and musicians. At the core of the Lied the Way community is for her to experience how the workshops can empower women to create their own projects and forms whilst pushing the boundaries of the Art Song field.
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Anna Brashear
ASSISTANT to the ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Anna Brashear is a marketing professional with a love for the arts and music. Next to her work in a female health startup along with marketing roles in other tech companies, she has sung in the Humboldt Chamber Choir for the past 6 years. Her favorite aspects of Lied the Way are seeing women grow stronger in their leadership, personal development, and collaboration skills.