Betty Freeman, a philanthropist and photographer who made more than 400 grants and commissions during her life, largely to support classical-music composers, died January 3 at her home in Beverly Hills, Calif., of pancreatic cancer, according to the Los Angeles Times. She was 87.

Ms. Freeman, who was the heir to a fortune made in chemical and petroleum products, supported the work of such composers as John Adams, John Cage, and Philip Glass. “I cannot think of many individuals whose actions would have had a more profound effect on our art form or culture in general,” said Esa-Pekka Salonen, music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

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