Guillaume Dufay is one of the many composers of the Renaissance period. It doesn't state who are his parents, but it does say that he stayed with his mother when she died. Dufay was a choirboy for much of his youth at Cambrai Cathedral. He was never really trained, but the two men that he learned from where, Nicolas Malin, and Richard Loqueville. Dufay did service for the Malatesta family as well as other celebrations for many other families. Dufay was never married, but performed at many weddings. For ten years he was a part of the papal choir in Rome. When Dufay left the choir to go home to his mother the Duke of Savoy was saddened by his absence. Being a singer in the choir helped influenced his clerical career. .
In April of 1438 Dufay was named apart of the council of Basel. He was apart of the Cambrai cathedral chapter. In May of 1445 he finally received some money for his music and performance. Dufay helped a lot with a boys singing group, and was a cellarer in 1448. On April 21,1452 he received " 60 ecus, propter qualitates et merita, having enriched the services with his music." Dufay was free to go as he pleased even though he was a member of the Cambrai choir. When he attended a reunion he met his famous Binchois. Dufay spent the rest of his life in Cambrai, and was present when the dedication of the Cathedral was celebrated in 1472. He then past away in 1474. Dufay's will states that he gave a lot of his books to friends. Also in his will he states that, " He would like the respect of fellow and future composers." .
Most of Dufay's music was church music performed in many cathedrals. His most popular secular cantus is L"homme arme`. He also wrote 70 secular music pieces. He also invented the faux-bourdon for expression in is songs about Christ. He did some of his songs in the motet style of composition. His song Gloria was a 5 part male voices, and was a mix of Gregorian chant.