French Women Composers

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 1 
Nadia Boulanger
(One of the Most Influential Teachers of Musical Composition of the 20th Century)
Nadia Boulanger
3
Birthdate: September 16, 1887
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: October 22, 1979

Born to a music instructor father, French composer and conductor Nadia Boulanger was no stranger to music as a kid. The first woman to conduct prime orchestras, she had the who’s who of the music industry, such as Elliott Carter, Roy Harris, and Quincy Jones, on her list of students.

 2 
Lili Boulanger
(Composer)
Lili Boulanger
2
Birthdate: August 21, 1893
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: March 15, 1918
 3 
Marina Kaye
(Singer-songwriter)
Marina Kaye
2
Birthdate: February 9, 1998
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Marseille, France
 4 
Catherine Ringer
(Lead Singer and Co-founder of the Pop Rock Group 'Les Rita Mitsouko')
Catherine Ringer
2
Birthdate: October 18, 1957
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Suresnes, France

Catherine Ringer is a French singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, dancer, actress, and choreographer. She is credited with co-founding the popular pop-rock group Les Rita Mitsouko which was one of the most acclaimed French musical acts in the 1980s and 1990.

 5 
Lizzy Mercier Descloux
(Musician)
Lizzy Mercier Descloux
2
Birthdate: December 16, 1956
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: April 20, 2004
 6 
Cécile Chaminade
(Former Pianist, Composer who was awarded the Légion d'Honneur, a first for a female composer)
Cécile Chaminade
3
Birthdate: August 8, 1857
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: April 13, 1944
 7 
Louise Farrenc
(Composer)
Louise Farrenc
2
Birthdate: May 31, 1804
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: September 15, 1875
 8 
Germaine Tailleferre
(French Composer Who Was the Only Female Member of the Musical Group ‘Les Six')
Germaine Tailleferre
2
Birthdate: April 19, 1892
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, France
Died: November 7, 1983

It is believed French composer Germaine Tailleferre had started composing at the tender age of 5. She later grew up to be the only woman in Henry Collet’s Les Six, or The French Six. Among her many accolades are the Medal of the City of Paris and the Prix Italia.

 9 
Éliane Radigue
(Composer)
Éliane Radigue
2
Birthdate: January 24, 1932
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Paris, France
 10 
Olivia Merilahti
(Finnish-French Singer and Founder of the Indie Rock Band 'The Dø')
Olivia Merilahti
2
Birthdate: February 25, 1982
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Paris, France

Finnish-French singer-composer Olivia Merilahti, a student of classical music gradually shifted her artistic direction towards rock music and then jazz and electronic music. She formed the Finnish-French indie pop band The Dø with multi-instrumentalist Dan Levy. First studio album of the band titled A Mouthful topped the French charts becoming the first English-sung pop French record to achieve such feat.   

 11 
Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre
(French Musician, Harpsichordist and Was the First Woman to Compose an Opera in France)
Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre
2
Birthdate: March 17, 1665
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: June 27, 1729

Elisabeth-Claude Jacquet De La Guerre was a French musician, harpsichordist, and composer. Born into a family of musicians and master instrument-makers, she received her initial musical training from her father. She worked as a musician in the court of Louis XIV, the Sun King. Following her marriage to organist Marin de La Guerre, she taught and composed music. 

 12 
Oklou
(Musician)
Oklou
1
Birthdate: April 23, 1993
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Poitiers, France
 13 
Trobairitz
(French Poet and Composer)
Trobairitz
2
Birthplace: not known
 14 
Cécile Corbel
(Singer)
Cécile Corbel
2
Birthdate: March 28, 1980
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Pont-Croix, France
 15 
Charlotte de Rothschild
(Socialite)
Charlotte de Rothschild
2
Birthdate: May 6, 1825
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: July 20, 1899
 16 
Comtessa de Dia
(Poet)
Comtessa de Dia
1
Birthdate: 1175 AD
Birthplace: Montélimar, France
Died: 1225 AD
 17 
Yvonne Loriod
(Pianist)
Yvonne Loriod
1
Birthdate: January 20, 1924
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Houilles, France
Died: May 17, 2010
 18 
CloZee
(Composer)
CloZee
1
Birthdate: August 12, 1992
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: France
 19 
Henriette Renie
(Harpist)
Henriette Renie
1
Birthdate: September 18, 1875
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: March 1, 1956
 20 
Paula Nenette Pepin
(Former composer, pianist and lyricist)
Paula Nenette Pepin
1
Birthdate: April 9, 1908
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Died: November 14, 1990