Isidor Achron

Isidor Yulyevich Achron (Russian: Изидор Юльевич Ахрон) (Warsaw, November 11, 1892 (Julian calendar; November 24 on the Gregorian calendar) - New York City, May 12, 1948) was a pianist, composer and music teacher.

Isidor Achron, youngest brother of Joseph Achron, was born on November 11, 1892, in Warsaw to Russian parents of Jewish descent. He was a child prodigy, showing a musical aptitude at any early age. His older brother, Joseph Achron, placed him in the St. Petersburg Conservatory. He first studied piano with Nikolay Dubasov; Anna Essipoff; Anatol Liadov in composition; and Maximilian Steinberg in orchestration. He received his "artist diploma" in 1915.

He married Lea Karina on June 14, 1935. She was born in Helsinki in 1914. She was a mezzo-soprano who made her singing debut with the Helsingfors Symphony Orchestra in 1931 under the baton of Jean Sibelius.

As her husband, she was an accomplished pianist. She collaborated with him in composing. She was a singer who could perform vocal repertoire in nine different languages. In 1941 she made her New York debut at Town Hall with her husband accompanying her. She went on to have a successful career in radio and television. She served as audio director for the popular television show "Your Hit Parade". Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco and Nicolas Slonimsky were two composers who dedicated songs to her.

After three years of service in the Russian army, Achron graduated from the conservatory in 1918 and went on a concert tour of Russia and Germany. He appeared as soloist with a large symphony orchestra in Pavlovsk, near St. Petersburg. In Berlin he gave four concerts in the course of a single season.

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