Kathleen McGowan
@coffeecantata.bsky.social
Musicologist. Historian. Trombonist. Arts critic. Caffeine enthusiast. Ink drinker.
Reposted by Kathleen McGowan
‘“People need to pay their bills,” one of the pickets told me. Some are forced to work several jobs. Many talked of the effect of the 2023 cyberattack on their workload.’
Anna Aslanyan on the strike at the British Library, from the blog.
www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/de...
Anna Aslanyan on the strike at the British Library, from the blog.
www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/de...
Anna Aslanyan | On the Picket Line
On Monday morning, more than a hundred people formed a picket line outside one of the entrances to the British Library...
www.lrb.co.uk
December 10, 2025 at 5:50 PM
‘“People need to pay their bills,” one of the pickets told me. Some are forced to work several jobs. Many talked of the effect of the 2023 cyberattack on their workload.’
Anna Aslanyan on the strike at the British Library, from the blog.
www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/de...
Anna Aslanyan on the strike at the British Library, from the blog.
www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/de...
Reposted by Kathleen McGowan
Was invited to speak to the Cabinet Office today about suffrage theatre - always a joy to talk about the breadth of creativity and performative propaganda in the Votes for Women movement. Hurray for sunny winter days in London, and of course always hurray for for the Actresses’ Franchise League 🩷💚
December 10, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Was invited to speak to the Cabinet Office today about suffrage theatre - always a joy to talk about the breadth of creativity and performative propaganda in the Votes for Women movement. Hurray for sunny winter days in London, and of course always hurray for for the Actresses’ Franchise League 🩷💚
"𝖱𝖾𝖺𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗂𝗌 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝗃𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝖺 𝗉𝖺𝗌𝗍𝗂𝗆𝖾 𝗈𝗋 𝖺 𝗅𝗎𝗑𝗎𝗋𝗒, 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝖺 𝗉𝗋𝖾𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖽𝗂𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗈𝖿 𝖽𝖾𝗆𝗈𝖼𝗋𝖺𝗍𝗂𝖼 𝗅𝗂𝖿𝖾, 𝗈𝗇𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗉𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗂𝖼𝖾𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗄𝖾𝖾𝗉 𝖽𝖾𝖻𝖺𝗍𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖽𝗂𝗌𝖺𝗀𝗋𝖾𝖾𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝗀𝗋𝗈𝗎𝗇𝖽𝖾𝖽, 𝖿𝗈𝖼𝗎𝗌𝖾𝖽 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝖽𝗎𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗏𝖾.”
- 𝖩𝗎𝖽𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝖡𝗎𝗍𝗅𝖾𝗋, 𝘞𝘩𝘰’𝘴 𝘈𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳?
- 𝖩𝗎𝖽𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝖡𝗎𝗍𝗅𝖾𝗋, 𝘞𝘩𝘰’𝘴 𝘈𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳?
November 13, 2025 at 10:36 PM
"𝖱𝖾𝖺𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗂𝗌 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝗃𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝖺 𝗉𝖺𝗌𝗍𝗂𝗆𝖾 𝗈𝗋 𝖺 𝗅𝗎𝗑𝗎𝗋𝗒, 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝖺 𝗉𝗋𝖾𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖽𝗂𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗈𝖿 𝖽𝖾𝗆𝗈𝖼𝗋𝖺𝗍𝗂𝖼 𝗅𝗂𝖿𝖾, 𝗈𝗇𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗉𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗂𝖼𝖾𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗄𝖾𝖾𝗉 𝖽𝖾𝖻𝖺𝗍𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖽𝗂𝗌𝖺𝗀𝗋𝖾𝖾𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝗀𝗋𝗈𝗎𝗇𝖽𝖾𝖽, 𝖿𝗈𝖼𝗎𝗌𝖾𝖽 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝖽𝗎𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗏𝖾.”
- 𝖩𝗎𝖽𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝖡𝗎𝗍𝗅𝖾𝗋, 𝘞𝘩𝘰’𝘴 𝘈𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳?
- 𝖩𝗎𝖽𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝖡𝗎𝗍𝗅𝖾𝗋, 𝘞𝘩𝘰’𝘴 𝘈𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳?
Reposted by Kathleen McGowan
I am delighted with this review of my new book in The New Statesman. The reviewer really gets what the book is all about.
www.newstatesman.com/culture/book...
www.newstatesman.com/culture/book...
When did opera become elitist?
Alexandra Wilson’s history of the art form in Britain shows how it used to appeal to everyone, from miners to lords
www.newstatesman.com
October 9, 2025 at 9:15 AM
I am delighted with this review of my new book in The New Statesman. The reviewer really gets what the book is all about.
www.newstatesman.com/culture/book...
www.newstatesman.com/culture/book...
Reposted by Kathleen McGowan
Really pleased to see my & @benjaminredding.bsky.social article on the much beloved BBC Shipping Forecast is getting some traction - we loved writing it! Read it @uk.theconversation.com here:
theconversation.com/why-the-bbcs...
theconversation.com/why-the-bbcs...
Why the BBC’s Shipping Forecast still entrances people after 100 years
Designed to ensure safe sailing for those on the sea, a dedicated shipping forecast was first broadcast by the BBC in 1925.
theconversation.com
October 7, 2025 at 11:13 AM
Really pleased to see my & @benjaminredding.bsky.social article on the much beloved BBC Shipping Forecast is getting some traction - we loved writing it! Read it @uk.theconversation.com here:
theconversation.com/why-the-bbcs...
theconversation.com/why-the-bbcs...
Reposted by Kathleen McGowan
“Whether it’s through my artistic work or my scholarly work, I want to be a vehicle for telling some of the incredible stories you’ve never heard.”
Pianist, musicologist and writer, Dr. Samantha Ege spoke with us about her latest album, “Maestra,” and more. Read the interview at:
Pianist, musicologist and writer, Dr. Samantha Ege spoke with us about her latest album, “Maestra,” and more. Read the interview at:
5 Questions to Samantha Ege (pianist, scholar)
Forrest Howell sits down with Samantha Ege ahead of the release of her new album, "Maestra" (LORELT) out Mar. 25.
buff.ly
October 2, 2025 at 3:43 PM
“Whether it’s through my artistic work or my scholarly work, I want to be a vehicle for telling some of the incredible stories you’ve never heard.”
Pianist, musicologist and writer, Dr. Samantha Ege spoke with us about her latest album, “Maestra,” and more. Read the interview at:
Pianist, musicologist and writer, Dr. Samantha Ege spoke with us about her latest album, “Maestra,” and more. Read the interview at:
Reposted by Kathleen McGowan
The BBC is a publicly funded service. Its archive should be open to anyone and researchers should not be beholden to the bbc to choose what we see. And not on only 2 days a week either.
Historians dismayed by ‘scandal’ of BBC cutting access to...
Critics say new limit to trove of information sounds knell for independent research
observer.co.uk
August 24, 2025 at 12:54 PM
The BBC is a publicly funded service. Its archive should be open to anyone and researchers should not be beholden to the bbc to choose what we see. And not on only 2 days a week either.
Reposted by Kathleen McGowan
#OnThisDay, 11 June 1963, Vivian Malone defies the Governor of Alabama to become the first Black female student at the University of Alabama.
“The simple act of walking through a schoolhouse door...
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #AmericanHistory 🗃️
1/2
“The simple act of walking through a schoolhouse door...
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #AmericanHistory 🗃️
1/2
June 11, 2025 at 8:00 AM
#OnThisDay, 11 June 1963, Vivian Malone defies the Governor of Alabama to become the first Black female student at the University of Alabama.
“The simple act of walking through a schoolhouse door...
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #AmericanHistory 🗃️
1/2
“The simple act of walking through a schoolhouse door...
#WomenInHistory #OTD #History #WomensHistory #AmericanHistory 🗃️
1/2
Reposted by Kathleen McGowan
4/8/1827 — b. Barbara Bodichon, English educationalist, artist, women’s rights advocate. A leading early 19th century feminist; co-founder of the women’s rights movement in Britain. Wrote a “Brief Summary of the Laws of England concerning Women” (1854) #womenshistory #feminist #womensrights #OTD
April 8, 2025 at 8:50 PM
4/8/1827 — b. Barbara Bodichon, English educationalist, artist, women’s rights advocate. A leading early 19th century feminist; co-founder of the women’s rights movement in Britain. Wrote a “Brief Summary of the Laws of England concerning Women” (1854) #womenshistory #feminist #womensrights #OTD
Reposted by Kathleen McGowan
Pleased to learn Jane Austen was familiar with the music of Ann Thickness, copying one of her songs into the family music book. Thickness was jailed in France during the terror, but released in 1794 on showing that she could earn her own living. www.southampton.ac.uk/news/2015/12...
April 2, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Pleased to learn Jane Austen was familiar with the music of Ann Thickness, copying one of her songs into the family music book. Thickness was jailed in France during the terror, but released in 1794 on showing that she could earn her own living. www.southampton.ac.uk/news/2015/12...
Reposted by Kathleen McGowan
I wrote about why everyone should memorize poems, not least as a remedy for doomscrolling & insomnia. Also: in praise of pedagogical hedonism.
garthgreenwell.substack.com/p/memorizing...
garthgreenwell.substack.com/p/memorizing...
March 24, 2025 at 3:59 PM
I wrote about why everyone should memorize poems, not least as a remedy for doomscrolling & insomnia. Also: in praise of pedagogical hedonism.
garthgreenwell.substack.com/p/memorizing...
garthgreenwell.substack.com/p/memorizing...
"Culture today is circular, relational, and collaborative, not teleological and hostage to the belligerent dreams of great men."
- Aaron Timms, 𝘛𝘕𝘙 3/19/24
- Aaron Timms, 𝘛𝘕𝘙 3/19/24
The Age of Cultural Stagnation
Has tech plunged culture into an era devoid of originality and surprise?
newrepublic.com
March 9, 2025 at 12:46 AM
"Culture today is circular, relational, and collaborative, not teleological and hostage to the belligerent dreams of great men."
- Aaron Timms, 𝘛𝘕𝘙 3/19/24
- Aaron Timms, 𝘛𝘕𝘙 3/19/24
Reposted by Kathleen McGowan
In the UK?
Buy a book this weekend through our bookshop on @bookshop-org-uk.bsky.social and 10% will go towards the @womensprize.bsky.social Trust to celebrate #IWD. We've just added their 2025 longlists to our shop.
Every sale supports indie bookshops, and us!
uk.bookshop.org/shop...
📚
Buy a book this weekend through our bookshop on @bookshop-org-uk.bsky.social and 10% will go towards the @womensprize.bsky.social Trust to celebrate #IWD. We've just added their 2025 longlists to our shop.
Every sale supports indie bookshops, and us!
uk.bookshop.org/shop...
📚
CarveHerName Bookshop UK
Every day women have - and are - making history. We tell their stories. This bookshop is where we share books we've used in our research and that we are happy to recommend. You can visit our home at CarveHerName.org.uk.
uk.bookshop.org
March 7, 2025 at 11:18 AM
In the UK?
Buy a book this weekend through our bookshop on @bookshop-org-uk.bsky.social and 10% will go towards the @womensprize.bsky.social Trust to celebrate #IWD. We've just added their 2025 longlists to our shop.
Every sale supports indie bookshops, and us!
uk.bookshop.org/shop...
📚
Buy a book this weekend through our bookshop on @bookshop-org-uk.bsky.social and 10% will go towards the @womensprize.bsky.social Trust to celebrate #IWD. We've just added their 2025 longlists to our shop.
Every sale supports indie bookshops, and us!
uk.bookshop.org/shop...
📚
Reposted by Kathleen McGowan
On this day in 1913, Margaret Bonds, a trailblazing composer and pianist, was born in Chicago.
Her music transcended boundaries, blending classical traditions with the spirit of African-American culture.
Today, we honor her legacy and the enduring impact of her melodies.
#women #womeninmusic
Her music transcended boundaries, blending classical traditions with the spirit of African-American culture.
Today, we honor her legacy and the enduring impact of her melodies.
#women #womeninmusic
March 3, 2025 at 7:24 AM
On this day in 1913, Margaret Bonds, a trailblazing composer and pianist, was born in Chicago.
Her music transcended boundaries, blending classical traditions with the spirit of African-American culture.
Today, we honor her legacy and the enduring impact of her melodies.
#women #womeninmusic
Her music transcended boundaries, blending classical traditions with the spirit of African-American culture.
Today, we honor her legacy and the enduring impact of her melodies.
#women #womeninmusic
Reposted by Kathleen McGowan
Excellent context here on the relationship between misinformation and support for Trump & Co. (not necessarily applicable to this case. bsky.app/profile/karl...
Bezos' recent choices are part of a 40+ year conservative and corporatist war on informed consensus, turning the entirety of U.S. media and journalism into an engagement chasing infotainment slop and distraction machine
February 27, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Excellent context here on the relationship between misinformation and support for Trump & Co. (not necessarily applicable to this case. bsky.app/profile/karl...
Reposted by Kathleen McGowan
The March of the Women, Margaret Morris (1891-1980)
Graphite on paper c1907
Margaret Morris designed this cover for a music score by Ethel Smyth, composer and #suffragette. The March of the Women became the WSPU anthem 🙌
Part of the Fergus & Meg exhibition at #Perth Art Gallery
Graphite on paper c1907
Margaret Morris designed this cover for a music score by Ethel Smyth, composer and #suffragette. The March of the Women became the WSPU anthem 🙌
Part of the Fergus & Meg exhibition at #Perth Art Gallery
February 13, 2025 at 7:15 PM
The March of the Women, Margaret Morris (1891-1980)
Graphite on paper c1907
Margaret Morris designed this cover for a music score by Ethel Smyth, composer and #suffragette. The March of the Women became the WSPU anthem 🙌
Part of the Fergus & Meg exhibition at #Perth Art Gallery
Graphite on paper c1907
Margaret Morris designed this cover for a music score by Ethel Smyth, composer and #suffragette. The March of the Women became the WSPU anthem 🙌
Part of the Fergus & Meg exhibition at #Perth Art Gallery
Reposted by Kathleen McGowan
2/13/1881 — Hubertine Auclert, French feminist and woman suffrage leader, first publishes the bi-monthly feminist newspaper ‘La Citoyenne’ (The Citizeness) in Paris, France; published (1881-91). Founder of the Society for the Rights of Women Society (1876) #womenshistory #womensrights #feminism #OTD
February 13, 2025 at 2:47 PM
2/13/1881 — Hubertine Auclert, French feminist and woman suffrage leader, first publishes the bi-monthly feminist newspaper ‘La Citoyenne’ (The Citizeness) in Paris, France; published (1881-91). Founder of the Society for the Rights of Women Society (1876) #womenshistory #womensrights #feminism #OTD
Reposted by Kathleen McGowan
Moving tribute to a previously unknown musician, Emilie Goldberger. A student of Clara Schumann, she was to die in the Theresienstadt ghetto in 1942.
To mark
#HolocaustRemembranceDay, here's my website on Jewish Viennese pianist & Clara Schumann student Emilie Goldberger (1858–1942)–teacher of Émile Zuckerkandl–, whom I rediscovered by chance in February 2023 & whose life I was able to (roughly) reconstruct.
goldberger.susanne-wosnitzka.de/en/
#HolocaustRemembranceDay, here's my website on Jewish Viennese pianist & Clara Schumann student Emilie Goldberger (1858–1942)–teacher of Émile Zuckerkandl–, whom I rediscovered by chance in February 2023 & whose life I was able to (roughly) reconstruct.
goldberger.susanne-wosnitzka.de/en/
Emilie Goldberger - MEMORY OF A JEWISH PIANIST FROM VIENNA
goldberger.susanne-wosnitzka.de
January 26, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Moving tribute to a previously unknown musician, Emilie Goldberger. A student of Clara Schumann, she was to die in the Theresienstadt ghetto in 1942.
Reposted by Kathleen McGowan
Reposted by Kathleen McGowan
Today, 130 million Americans—54% of adults aged 16-74—lack the literacy skills that many take for granted, reading below the equivalent of a sixth-grade level. www.apmresearchlab.org/10x-adult-li...
Reading the numbers: 130 million American adults have low literacy skills — APM Research Lab
About 130 million adults in the U.S. have low literacy skills according to a Gallup analysis of data from the U.S. Department of Education. This means more than half of Americans between the ages of 1...
www.apmresearchlab.org
January 15, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Today, 130 million Americans—54% of adults aged 16-74—lack the literacy skills that many take for granted, reading below the equivalent of a sixth-grade level. www.apmresearchlab.org/10x-adult-li...