“…The presence of significant female figures in music from the past can be encouraging for aspiring musicians, both male and female alike, as Pool (1979) expresses, “Knowing that women have pursued composition and have met with some success, despite widespread prejudices and lack of educational opportunities in composition, can give women added confidence needed to persevere in a career that is difficult for both women and men” (p. 28)Other professional fields, notably science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields, have seen an increase in female voices and representation. A recent study demonstrated that the presence of female science professors provided positive role models for women and reduced implicit stereotypes about women in science (Young, Rudman, Buettner, & McLean, 2013).…”