Leopold AUER was a Hungarian-born violinist and composer who is widely considered one of the greatest violin teachers of all time. He was born in 1845 and studied under Joseph Joachim, the renowned German violinist. AUER was appointed professor of violin at the St. Petersburg Conservatory in 1868 and later became director of the conservatory. He was also a conductor and composer, and his compositions include several concertos, sonatas, and other works for the violin. He was known for his skillful playing and teaching, and his students included Jascha Heifetz, Mischa Elman, Efrem Zimbalist, and Nathan Milstein.