Lina Mathon-Blanchet

Lina Mathon-Blanchet (3 January 1903 – 11 March 1994) was a Haitian pianist, music teacher and composer. First director of the Conservatoire National, she was interested in Haiti's folkloric traditions and was one of the first performers to include Vodou-influenced theatrical performances on the public stage in the country. Founding several folkloric troupes, she led her artists on tours throughout the United States and was noted as a teacher and mentor to many prominent Haitian performers. Trained in classical music traditions she collected traditional songs documenting the lyrics, melodies, and rhythms found as traditional themes in Haitian music. She is widely recognized as one of the most influential figures in the development of music in Haiti in the twentieth-century.