A composer, pianist, and conductor who studied in Budapest and later became the director of the Royal Academy. Ernst von Dohnányi enjoyed widespread success touring throughout Europe and the United States; within the first 30 years of his career he gave over fifteen hundred concerts. He later took a position as a professor of piano in Berlin and later as conductor of the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra.

Throughout the Nazi occupation of Hungary Dohnányi rebelled against the anti-Semitic regime by continuing to employ all the Jewish members of the Budapest Philharmonic until May 11, 1944, after which he disbanded the orchestra.

Dohnányi eventually settled in Florida in 1949 following a successful yearlong tour of the U.S. From 1949 until 1960 Dohnányi was a professor of music at Florida State University bringing world-renowned recognition and attention to the Tallahassee school.