Nadia Boulanger was a French composer, conductor, and teacher who was born in 1887 and died in 1979. She was the first woman to conduct many major orchestras and was a major influence on 20th century music. She was a renowned teacher of composition, and her students included some of the most important composers of the 20th century. She was also a prolific composer, writing works for orchestra, chamber ensembles, and solo instruments.