WOMEN’S RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS

Women’s Rights are Human Rights musically explores the inequity, marginalization, abuse and violence that women still face globally in the 21st century. The multi-movement piece for women’s choir, pulls its text from the document created by the United Nations in 2014. I intend to work with multiple choirs, to perform this work globally.

As president of the International Alliance for Women in Music, and and organizational member of the International Music Council, a member of the United Nations, this topic is critical at this juncture in world leadership. My purpose in creating this work is to raise the awareness of the UN document, and the rights listed therein. Attacks on women’s rights are escalating and women are dying as a result. I want to speak up through my music.

 

MUSIC can connect people in ways beyond notes on a page.

 

Visioning and Research:

In Spring/Summer 2025, I worked with women’s organizations and conducted extensive research and interviews with women to understand obstacles to Women’s Right most impacting their lives. In March 2026, I will attend American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), to reach out to choirs for potential future performances of this work. Women’s Rights are Human Rights will be scored for eight-part women’s choir, SSSSAAAA. As of January 2026, I completed the  libretto from the United Nations 2014 document as well as more recent U.N. and Unesco documents as well as many human rights sources. 

Composing

Composing began in Fall 2025. I have mapped out the movements and the planned duration of the work. A commissioning consortium is being set up for the creation of this work. I will work with the participating choirs via virtual input sessions and workshops. The libretto was completed between October 2025 and January 2026, The music will be completed in Spring 2026, after which I will ask for feedback and recommendations from the choirs. If you would like to participate, please contact me at christina@christinarusnak.com to set up a meeting with me.

Rehearsals and Performances can begin in late Fall /Winter 2026.

 

Consortium Details:

Duration: 20-30 minutes
Grade 4-5
Tiered Consortium Rates:
$1,000: Choirs with budget of $1 million or higher
$500: Choirs with budget of $100,000 – $999,000
$250: Collegiate, Community and Choirs with budgets less than $100K
Score via PDF

All consortium members receive the following benefits:

    • Name of Consortium Institutions and Conductors listed in score and program notes.
    • Right of choral ensemble to list themselves as consortium members giving premiere of work in all programs and announcements
    • A full set of materials, score and parts via PDFs. Hard copy of Conductor Score (+$75)
    • Two Zoom meetings and/or web-rehearsals with the composer where conductors and ensemble members can join in on a conversation about the work as the piece progresses. I LOVE collaboration!!
    • I, as composer, will make myself available to create a virtual residency that precedes and coincides with the premiere of the work. This can include pre-concerts talk about the work, or seminars with students. Please contact christina@christinarusnak.com if you’d like to arrange an in-person residency at an additional cost.
    • Short, recorded composer intro about the work to use for performances, if I am unable to attend in person.
    • Ensembles may become consortium members up to the premiere.

If you are interested in joining the consortium for this important work, please contact Christina at christina@christinarusnak.com

I want to thank the United Nations for permission to use the text of the 2014 report in creation of this project. The research phase for this project as been funded in part by the following: