Let's make this birthday one to remember.

86 years old (Born on April 30, 1939)

Happy Birthday, Ellen Taaffe Zwilich! Celebrating the composer who didn't just break barriers—she orchestrated them into award-winning symphonies. Your groundbreaking Pulitzer Prize win for Symphony No. 1 in 1983 wasn't just music to our ears; it was a crescendo heard around the world, inspiring countless women composers to follow your baton.

From captivating audiences with your vibrant compositions performed by renowned orchestras globally, you've proven that great music knows no gender or boundaries. May this birthday be as harmonious and timeless as your melodies—and may you continue composing masterpieces that keep us applauding (and occasionally humming off-key) for many years ahead!