Dame Fanny was a legend in the world of music and was recognised as one of the twentieth century’s most inspirational women. Born in Leeds, she studied with Tobias Matthay, and later as a Scholar at the Royal College of Music, London, with Cyril Smith. After a notable performing career, she felt that her real vocation was as a teacher. Over the years she gave masterclasses on six continents, appeared on television and radio, and with Marion Harewood compiled a series of publications entitled Piano Lessons, which has achieved sales of two million copies. Her extraordinary success and eminent position in the piano teaching world stemmed from her concentration on security of technique placed at the disposal of imagination and musicianship.

For many years, she was a highly sought-after jury member of international competitions including the Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Horowitz, Hamamatsu, Chopin, Bach, Vina del Mar and UNISA. Several of her students have been prize winners in the Leeds, Tchaikovsky, Rubinstein, Busoni, London and Geneva competitions.

In recognition of her services to music, Dame Fanny was awarded the OBE in 1971, the CBE in 1999 and in 2005 she was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire. She was also awarded Honorary Doctorates by the Universies of Leeds, Leeds Metropolitan and York and was a Fellow of the Royal College of Music.  

For nine years she served as Vice-President of the World Federation of International Music Competitions from which she received the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002. Earlier, in 2001, the Incorporated Society of Musicians bestowed on her its Distinguished Musician Award for her outstanding contribution to music in this country. 

In 2004 Dame Fanny received the Freedom of the City of Leeds, the highest honour the City can bestow and, in 2009, was to be invited to become President of the esteemed Harrogate International Festivals. Dame Fanny was made an Honorary Member of the Royal Philharmonic Society in 2010.