Nadia Boulanger biography

Profile

Born in Paris in 1887, Nadia Boulanger grew up among the musicians of the Paris Conservatory, where her father taught voice. She composed music until 1918, then turned to conducting. In 1937, she was the first woman to conduct the Royal Philharmonic, and broke the gender barrier with almost every other major orchestra. She also taught an entire generation of composers including Aaron Copland.