Selected intermediate piano pieces by seven women of the twentieth century: Marion Bauer, Germaine Tailleferre, Ruth Crawford Seeger, Sofia Gubaidulina, Emma Lou Diemer, Chen Yi, and Karen Tanaka

Music of the 20th century and music composed by women are two areas underrepresented in the repertoire taught to children. With the goal of increasing exposure for women composers and for contemporary music, this dissertation presents a collection of intermediate-level piano pieces by seven women of the 20th century. The composers span the entire century and characterize the many compositional styles that were practiced during this diverse period, ranging from impressionism and neo-classicism to serialism and minimalism. By introducing music that is accessible to young pianists, this collection is a practical tool for piano pedagogy and performance. The pieces not only develop a breadth of musical and technical ability, and introduce seven women composers, but also enhance the students' understanding of the historical time period. Through the use of extensive musical examples, this dissertation explores pedagogical applications as well as how each piece fits into the oeuvre of the composer.