Born on August 21, 1893 (in Paris), Lili Boulanger suffered through much illness in her short life before succumbing to intestinal tuberculosis on March 15, 1918, less than 25 years later.

Despite the brevity of her life, she was a gifted composer, and in 1913 she became the first woman to win the coveted Prix de Rome for composition. Her sister Nadia, who went on to a brilliant career teaching many of the great composers of the 20th century, championed Lili’s compositions throughout her life.

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