Maurice Ravel, composer

Born: March 7, 1875 in Ciboure, France

Died: December 28, 1937 in Paris

Studied at: Conservatoire de Paris, first as a pianist and then as a composer; his teacher and mentor was Gabriel Fauré

Influenced by: Richard Wagner, Rimsky-Korsakov, Fauré, and his contemporaries Erik Satie and Claude Debussy

Stylistic characteristics: “impressionism,” melody, interesting orchestral and instrumental textures and effects

Fame: Ravel’s most well-known composition is Bolero, a piece he described as being “a piece for orchestra without music”; he was baffled by its popularity.