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.