Florence Price was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1887. She learned to play piano early on from her mother. Later, she attended the New England Conservatory, which was one of the few music schools that accepted African-American students at the time. She studied composition and counterpoint there, graduating in 1906 with a diploma in organ and a certificate to teach music. After teaching music privately and leading the music department at Clark Atlanta University in Georgia, Price went back to Little Rock. She eventually moved to Chicago to continue her music studies. In 1932, her piano Sonata in E Minor won First Prize in the Wanamaker music contest. Her first symphony also received overall honors. Frederick Stock, the Chicago Symphony’s conductor, supported her music and included her symphony in the orchestra’s programs. Although she composed hundreds of works, Price's music did not become widely known in the twentieth century. Many of her compositions, including two violin concertos, were nearly lost. They were found later during the renovation of her abandoned home, helping to preserve her legacy.