Tobias Matthay won the Sterndale Bennett Scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music in 1871. Sub-professor at the Academy from 1876 and a full professor from 1880 until 1925. His debut as a pianist was in November 1884. Taught many of England's finest pianists including Dame Myra Hess, Harriet Cohen, Irene Scharrer, Clifford Curzon, Dame Moura Lympany, York Bowen, Harold Craxton, Vivian Langrish, Eileen Joyce, Irene Scharrer, Nina Milkina and Eunice Norton among others. In 1905 he opened the Tobias Matthay Piano School while continuing at the Royal Academy. Author of many educational works for piano technique. Student, fellow and professor of the Royal Academy of Music. Founder of the Matthay Piano School and method. Author of many educational works for piano technique.

The archives of the Matthay Piano School are at Hatchlands.

Apollo catalogue - search list of keywords:
Art and iconography – portraits and photographs
Documents – citations, fingering chart
Instruments – Bechstein composing piano
Objects – personal items including his teaching chair, sculpture, teaching aids (practice triangles)

In addition to the material held within Apollo, the Special Collections also hold a collection of Tobias Matthay's manuscripts. Please follow this link for more information on the Special Collections.

Images on this page (from left to right):

- Portrait of Tobias Matthay, half-length, bow tie, gold spectacles. By Kay Robertson, oil on canvas, 1899.

- Citation:Tobias Matthay. Illuminated testimonial in the form of an encased triptych on parchment, with signatures of former pupils and colleagues, gilt framed. By Stanley Kennedy North, 1922.