Nadia Boulanger

Nadia Boulanger (1887-1979), composer, conductor, and perhaps the most influential teacher of music of the twentieth century, witnessed cultural devastation in the Second World War. In the battle for civilization, Boulanger viewed the artist as equal to the soldier. She believed true victory cannot be achieved unless artistic creators exemplify and uphold values worth fighting for. She saw herself, her colleagues, and her students as a cultural battalion needed for victory over the forces of chaos and destruction.