Nadia Boulanger, French composer, conductor, and teacher, 1887-1979

Nadia Boulanger taught many of the leading composers and musicians of the 20th century as well as leading living composers and musicians. She also performed as a pianist and organist. Among her students were those who became leading composers, soloists, arrangers and conductors, including Aaron Copland, Roy Harris, Quincy Jones, John Eliot Gardiner, Elliott Carter, Dinu Lipatti, Igor Markevitch, Virgil Thomson, David Diamond, Daniel Barenboim, Philip Glass and Ástor Piazzolla. Boulanger was the first woman to conduct many major orchestras in America and Europe, including the BBC Symphony, Boston Symphony, Hallé, New York Philharmonic and Philadelphia orchestras.