Felix Fox facts for kids

Felix Fox (born May 25, 1876, in Breslau, Germany – died March 24, 1947, in Boston, Massachusetts) was a talented German-born concert pianist and a dedicated teacher. He shared his love for music with many students throughout his life.

A Young Musician's Journey

Felix Fox began his musical studies at a young age. He learned to play the piano from famous teachers like Carl Reinecke in Leipzig, Germany, and the Hungarian-French pianist Isidor Philipp in Paris. He also studied music theory, which is about how music is put together, with Salomon Jadassohn.

Felix Fox graduated from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Leipzig. He gave his very first public performance there in 1896. He then performed in Paris in 1897, in Boston in 1898, and in London in 1907. He played with many famous orchestras, including the New York Symphony Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Boston Pops Orchestra, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He also performed with smaller groups and other solo musicians.

Teaching Music in Boston

In 1897, Mr. Fox moved to Boston, Massachusetts. The next year, in 1898, he helped start a music school called the Fox-Buonamici School of Pianoforte Playing. He opened it with another pianist named Carlo Buonamici. The school was located on Marlborough Street in Boston.

After Mr. Buonamici passed away in 1920, the school changed its name to the Felix Fox School of Pianoforte Playing. It continued to teach students until 1935. Some of his notable students included the composer Miriam Gideon and the pianist and teacher Harrison Potter. Harrison Potter even went on to teach at the school himself! Felix Fox also taught piano at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, during the 1920s.

Composing and Publishing Music

Besides performing and teaching, Felix Fox also created his own music. He wrote several songs and pieces for solo piano. He also made his own versions of works by another composer and pianist, Edward MacDowell.

In 1917, he published a special book of piano pieces called "The Boston Music Company Digest Of Piano Pieces: For The Left Hand Alone." This book was later reprinted in 2010, showing that his work was still important many years later.

An Operetta and Special Recognition

In 1932, Felix Fox started working on an operetta, which is like a short, light opera with spoken parts. It was called The King Fishers. He worked on this project with George Mitchell, a well-known Broadway singer and writer. The King Fishers was officially protected by copyright in 1933 and was first performed by Boston's Repertory Theatre in 1934.

In 1935, Felix Fox received a very special honor from France. He was named a Chevalier in the Legion of Honor. This award recognized his important contributions to French music.

Family Life

Felix Fox married Mary Vincent Pratt in 1910. They had two children together.