Women of the Renaissance
Maddalena Casulana
Little is known about the life of Maddalena Casulana, an accomplished vocalist, lutenist, and composer best known for her 66 madrigals. She is the first female composer to have had a whole book of her music printed and published in the history of western music, dedicated to her female patron Isabella de' Medici
Her second name, Casulana, is thought to be derived from her birthplace, Casole d’Elsa, but this is disputed. As a young woman, she studied in Casole and Florence before moving to Venice around 1568, where she began teaching a studio of voice and composition students. She sought to be known as a professional musician and earned a reputation as such through both her singing and her compositions