Piatigorsky, Gregor, << pyah tih GAWR skee, GREHG uhr >> (1903-1976), was a famous Russian-born cellist. His playing established him as one of the great cellists of his time. Piatigorsky collaborated in the 1960’s with violinist Jascha Heifetz and violist William Primrose. These collaborations set the highest standards for chamber-music performance.
Piatigorsky was born in Ekaterinoslav (now Dnipro, Ukraine) on April 17, 1903. He made his American concert debut in 1929 and became a United States citizen in 1942. Piatigorsky became an important teacher, settling in Los Angeles. There, he taught master classes at the University of Southern California from 1962 until his death on Aug. 6, 1976.
