Carl Czerny was an Austrian pianist, teacher, and composer who is best known for his piano teaching works. He began learning piano from his father, Wenzel Czerny, and later studied with Ludwig van Beethoven. Czerny also met and was influenced by Muzio Clementi and Johann Nepomuk Hummel. He started teaching piano in Vienna when he was only 15 years old. Among Czerny’s students were famous pianists such as Franz Liszt and Beethoven’s nephew. Over his career, Czerny composed nearly 1,000 works. These included many useful arrangements, like ones for eight pianos with four hands each, based on two overtures by Gioachino Rossini. His wide range of music showed both skill and creativity. Czerny’s most lasting impact was through his piano studies, which became very popular teaching tools for many generations. Some of his well-known sets include the School of Velocity, the School of Virtuosity, and the School of the Left Hand. These collections of graded exercises were still being used widely in the early 21st century. He also wrote an important essay about how to perform Beethoven’s piano sonatas.