Book excerpt: So many of the great pianists and teachers have come out of Poland and Russia (Rubinstein, Anton as well as Arthur, Leschetizky, Paderewski, the Lhevinnes, Gilels, Richter, and others), yet we know little about their methods of learning and teaching. George Kochevitsky in The Art of Piano Playing supplies some important sources of information previously unavailable in the United States. From these sources, tempered by this own thinking, Kochevitsky formulated a scientific approach that can solve most problems of piano playing and teaching. George Kochevitsky graduated in 1930 from Leningrad Conservatory and did post-graduate work at Moscow Conservatory. After coming to the U.S., he taught privately in New York City, gave a number of lectures, and wrote for various music periodicals.