Main content

Women Composers, Rene Denfield, Jo Milne

Jo Milne on how has life has changed since she has gained her hearing. Rene Denfeld on her work as a death penalty investigator. And why does education concern women voters?

Jane Garvey talks to Jo Milne about how her life has changed since she had an operation that allowed her to hear for the first time - and how she is coping with losing her sight.

Rene Denfeld discusses her work as a death penalty investigator in the United States.

We hear about the overlooked female composers we should listen to more.

And, polling done for Woman's Hour by TNS ahead of the General Election identified education as the fifth biggest concern for women voters - but not for men. How are the political parties addressing their concerns?

Available now

45 minutes

Election issue No 5 - Education

A poll for Woman’s Hour looking at how women voters are feeling ahead of the General Election, identified Education as the 5th most important area of concern. Jane talks to Gillian Hargreaves, the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ’s Education Correspondent, about the big challenges that politicians will have to tackle affecting schools and universities in the run up to May 7th – and the different approaches the parties are offering. And, we hear what a focus group of women think about the value of a university education versus an apprenticeship.

Ìý

Women in Classical Music

To celebrate International Women's Day on March 8th, ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 3 will be celebrating female composers and history’s great musicalÌý trailblazers. ÌýJane is joined by Dr Kate Kennedy who is championing the life and works ofÌýLady Maud Warrender, a composer whose philanthropy and passion paved the way for TheÌý Arts Council andÌýLise Critaiani, whose talent and beauty caught the eye ofÌýFelix Mendelssohn. ÌýShe will also be discussing the work and life ofÌýÉlisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre, a lesser known ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 3's 'Composer of the Week'.




Rene Denfeld

How do you find enchantment and beauty on death row, and why do some people survive terrible childhoods, while others succumb to rage and violent crime?Ìý These are just two of the many questions that author Rene Denfeld tackles in her award winning debut novel The Enchanted.Ìý Rene herself has first-hand experience of working with prisoners on death row in the US.Ìý She’s a death penalty investigator employed to examine the stories of the accused to see if the right sentence has been passed as well as to try and help the Judge and Jury understand why some of the most terrible crimes, imaginable and unimaginable, have been committed. ÌýJane Garvey speaks to her on Woman’s Hour on Monday.

The Enchanted is published in paperback in the UK 2nd March 2015,Ìý Weidenfeld&NicolsonÌý

Jo Milne

The video of Jo Milne hearing for the very first time became an internet sensation and became a global news story last year. She’d been born profoundly deaf, and just before her thirtieth birthday was diagnosed with Usher Syndrome, a rare genetic and progressive condition that would also rob her of her sight.ÌýIn 2014 she made a life-changing decision to undergo major surgery and had cochlear implants fitted.ÌýHer memoir, Breaking the Silence, describes growing up deaf and the discoveries she has made since the operation.Ìý She joins Jane to talk about her experiences.


Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Jane Garvey
Interviewed Guest Kate Kennedy
Interviewed Guest Gillian Hargreaves
Interviewed Guest Rene Denfeld
Interviewed Guest Jo Milne
Producer Ruth Watts

Broadcast

  • Mon 2 Mar 2015 10:00

Follow us on Instagram

Get all the pictures, videos, behind the scenes and more from Woman’s Hour

Podcast