Darius Milhaud (French pronunciation: [daʁjys mijo]; 4 September
1892 – 22 June 1974) was a French composer and teacher. He was a
member of Les Six—also known as The Group of Six—and one of the
most prolific composers of the 20th century. His compositions
are influenced by jazz and make use of polytonality. Darius
Milhaud is to be counted among the modernist composers. Life and
career Born in Marseilles to a Jewish family from Aix-en-
Provence, Milhaud began as a violinist, later turning to
composition instead. Milhaud studied in Paris at the Paris
Conservatory where he met his fellow group members Arthur
Honegger and Germaine Tailleferre. He studied composition under
Charles Widor and harmony and counterpoint with André Gedalge.
He also studied privately with Vincent d'Indy. From 1917 to
1919, he served as secretary to Paul Claudel, the eminent poet
and dramatist who was then the French ambassador to Brazil, and
with whom Milhaud collaborated for many years, setting music for
many of Claudel's poems and plays