Official Opening of Marian Millar Building Celebrates International Women's Day

13 Mar 2025

New practice and rehearsal facility named in honour of the UK's first female music graduate.

We marked International Women’s Day with the official opening of the Marian Millar Building, named in honour of the first woman to graduate with a music degree in the UK. A passionate advocate for women’s education, Marian taught at Manchester High School for Girls from 1874 to 1901 and made significant contributions to musical publications throughout her career.  

The building, unveiled by President and Vice-Chancellor Duncan Ivison, provides state-of-the-art practice and rehearsal spaces for students, equipped with the latest sound-proofing technology and musical instruments. The celebration event featured performances by students from Manchester High School for Girls, including Ethel Younge’s March of the Woman and Errolyn Wallen’s What is a Girl, commissioned for the school’s 150th anniversary.  

The event also highlighted the talents of women and gender-diverse musicians through performances by the Manchester University Music Society (MUMS) MUSICA festival. 

Professor David Berezan, Head of the Music Department, remarked, “We’re delighted to celebrate the legacy of Marian Millar, whose name now adorns our practice room building. Among many firsts, Marian was the first woman to be awarded a Music degree at the Victoria University of Manchester in 1894. It is also fitting that we officially unveil the Marian Millar building alongside performances by students from the Manchester High School for Girls, where Marian taught from 1874 to 1901, following a MUSICA Festival concert showcasing women composers.”