Isidor Philipp was a French pianist, and composer who was known for his authoritative knowledge of piano literature and performance. Also a revered educator, his students commonly described him as patient, kind, and gentle. He was born in 1863 in Budapest and moved with his family to Paris when he was still a baby. He studied piano at the Paris Conservatory with George Mathias, who was a student of Frédéric Chopin. From Mathias he learned Chopin's philosophy and ideals regarding piano literature, performance, and pedagogy. He also received instruction from Stephen Heller, Théodore Ritter, and Camille Saint-Saëns. After he graduated from the conservatory in 1883, he began a career as a concert pianist and recitalist and toured most of Europe. However, he discovered that he enjoyed teaching more than touring, and became a piano professor at the Paris Conservatory in 1893. He also performed chamber music in a trio that he formed with cellist Jules-Léopold Loeb and violinist Henri Berthelier, and with the Société des Instruments à Vent until around 1901. In 1921, he began teaching at the American Conservatory of Fontainebleau as the head of the piano department. Nine years later, his student Harold Bradley was so inspired by his teachings that he founded the Bradley Institute for Music Education Research, which operated until 2008. Bradley's initial concept was to apply Philipp's principals to teaching music to young children, and later shifted to teaching music teachers. Philipp was also friends with many of the leading composers of his time, including Prokofiev, Ravel, and Debussy, who would often consult Philipp for advice regarding musical notation or other pianistic dilemmas. In 1933, he left his position at the American Conservatory of Fontainebleau, and he also left the Paris Conservatory the following year. When the Nazis invaded Paris in 1940, Philipp escaped to the United States where he gave piano lessons in New York City, and he taught at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal. He continued performing and teaching, and gave lectures until his series of farewell recitals in 1955. In addition to his piano music, he also composed orchestral music and concertos. His recorded legacy includes the works of Saint-Saëns, Debussy, Bach, and his own compositions. Philipp died in 1958 in Paris at the age of 95. ~ RJ Lambert, Rovi