Irwin Freundlich was a prominent teacher at Juilliard starting in 1935. He studied with James Friskin and Edward Steuermann at the Institute of Musical Art, which merged with the Juilliard Graduate School in 1926 to became the current Juilliard School of Music.

His wife, Lillian Freundlich (13 March 1912–1999) was a graduate of Juilliard and taught at the Peabody Conservatory of Music. The husband and wife team performed recitals together featuring pieces for one piano for 4 hands.