Musica Spira (Music Breathes) brings the underrepresented stories of early modern female musicians to life through thought-provoking programs that shed light on women’s multifaceted contributions to music history and advocate for the continued empowerment and recognition of women in all times and places. Co-directors Grace Srinivasan and Dr. Paula Maust combine scholarly research with innovative musical programming to create concert themes that “draw musical traditions of the past and present into renewed conversations about the importance of life and values” (The Wilson Center). Founded in 2016 and based in the Baltimore, MD-Washington, D.C. area, Musica Spira’s recent programs include “The Ugly Virtuosa,” “The Women Who Took the Stage,” and “Shattering the Glass Ceiling.” They have performed on concert series at the Walters Art Museum, the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, the Pioneer Valley Early Music Day in Massachusetts, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Lebanon, PA, St. Anne’s Episcopal Church in Annapolis, and the Society of Historically Informed Performance series in Boston. This year includes a performance of “The Ugly Virtuosa" at the In the Stacks series at the Peabody Institute as well as performances throughout the region of programs inspired by Marie-Françoise Çertain’s Parisian salon and Italy’s first professional women singers.