Jeanne Leleu
Jeanne Leleu (29 December 1898 – 11 March 1979) was a French pianist and composer. She was born in Saint-Mihiel, in northeastern France. Her father was a bandmaster and her mother a piano teacher. At nine years old she entered the Conservatoire de Paris, studying with Marguerite Long, Georges Caussade, Alfred Cortot and Charles-Marie Widor.
In 1910, with Geneviève Durony, Leleu gave the premiere performance of Ravel's Ma mère l’Oye. In 1913, Ravel wrote a Prélude for a sight-reading contest at the Conservatoire, and Leleu won the prize. Her cantata Beatrix won the Prix de Rome in 1923, making her only the third woman to win this top prize after Lili Boulanger and Marguerite Canal. She also won the Georges Bizet and Monbinne prizes.
In 1924 she joined the French Academy in Rome at the Villa Medici for three years, then returned to Paris. After finishing her studies, Leleu became a professor of sight-reading at the Conservatoire and, in 1947, she was named professor of harmony. She died in Paris at the age of 80.
Leleu was known for symphonic and piano works and ballets. Her music was published in Paris. Selected works include:
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 04:53 (CET).