Born near Paris, her father objected to her joining the Paris Conservatoire, though she entered in 1904 (aged 12). Best known for being 'the only female of Les Six' she is a truly a successful composer in her own right. She composed many works, in many styles. Her Violin Sonata is rather Neo-Classical, while her music for film and radio is rather more dissonant and individual. Unlike many female composers she had no problem getting her works preformed. Her own salon gave her an outlet for this, plus her connection to Les Six gave her credibility to anyone who might not otherwise have accepted a woman as a composer. Her experimental stage can be heard in her Clarinet Sonata (1958) which employs serialist techniques.

See also: Women Write Music and The Women´s Philharmonic Compilation
Features in Historical Anthology of Music by Women