‘I really don’t like it but don’t change a note’ - Pierre Amoyal’s Life Lessons

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I grew up immersed in the French school of playing. While studying at the Paris Conservatoire, I was particularly influenced by Gaston Poulet, Roland Charmy and the Quatuor Calvet. All of them were so integrated into French musical culture that I grew strong roots in the style. These were completely uprooted when I moved to Los Angeles to study with Jascha Heifetz, who gave me a broader outlook on the world of violin playing and the ingredients needed to build an international career. He had such a wide understanding of what it meant to be a musician and knew every facet of the job. It was an extraordinary privilege to be guided by him, and although it was a shock at first, I absorbed it with lots of passion and interest…