Happy Birthday, Nadia Boulanger!

Today is the 124th birthday of composer, conductor, and educator Nadia Boulanger. I was actually reminded of this on my morning commute by my local independent radio station, WDIY, who did a birthday tribute to Nadia by playing works of some of her most famous pupils....

NPR’s “Biggest Badass Composers”

NPR’s Deceptive Cadence picked up on a twitter feed recently questioning which composer is the “biggest badass”, with qualifications to include drugs, sex, guts and politics. The list of composers included (surprise!!!) no women. Though the list, which was compiled...

Remembering Vítězslava Kaprálová

I will finish the WPA tribute to historic female composers by remembering the life and music of Vítězslava Kaprálová (1915-1940). Though she lived a tragically short life, she made a dramatic impact as a composer and conductor. Czech by birth, Kaprálová studied at the...

Marion Bauer

Marion Bauer (1882-1955) was born in Walla Walla, Washington to immigrant French Jewish parents. She studied piano from a young age, later refining her talent in piano and composition at the Paris Conservatory. While in France she was the first American student of...

Julia Perry

Unfortunately, little information is readily available on the life and work of Julia Perry (1924-1979). She was born in Kentucky, raised in Ohio, and studied at the Westminster Choir College, Juilliard, and abroad, including with Nadia Boulanger in France. Among her...