Philippa Schuyler (1931-1967) was a pianist, composer, journalist, and author. Hailed as a child prodigy (and genius!), she made her first public performance by the age of 4, and by the age of 16, she had already performed with many of the United State's leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic. She was a prolific composer, completing 200 works by 13 years old, and won several competitions performing her own works.
Despite her successful early touring career, Schuyler grew disillusioned with performing, encountering both racist and sexist attitudes throughout her tours of the United States. She began performing exclusively in Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia as a result of these problems, even going so far as reinventing herself as 'white' under the pseudonym Felipa Monterro to bypass these attitudes and increase her concert engagements.
Schuyler eventually switched careers in 1960 to become a political journalist, working all over the world and publishing several books.
Her music is eclectic and exceedingly effective, especially her piano music. Schuyler's oeuvre deserves better recognition, and hopefully more and more people will discover her music.