When I was five years old, people chipped in to buy me a violin. The violin has been a part of me ever since.
Born in Haifa, Ivry Gitlis moved to Paris at age 10 in order to start the freest and least conformist international-soloist career in modern music. As a first-prize winner at the Paris Conservatory at age 13, he went on to study with the greatest violinists of the time, first in Belgium, then in London and the USA. His participation in the Marguerite Long-Jacques Thibaud International Competition turned into a memorable battle between the jury and the audience, which was on his side.
This exceptional musician, who would become the first Israeli to perform in the USSR, knows no borders, and is as comfortable with jazz and gypsy music as he is with the classical repertory. In 1972, he founded the Festival of Vence, in the south of France, which is known for its innovative character and programming. He still performs in concert, and is particularly popular in Japan, where he has been performing frequently for over 30 years before adoring audiences.

L’Âme et la Corde is the autobiography of this exceptional artist. First published in 1980, this new edition has been expanded to include the last 30 years. In his inimitable style, Ivry Gitlis describes his relationship with his instrument, with music, and with his audience. 'You have to play as though it were a matter of life and death for you.'

The autobiography of the famous violinist Ivry Gitlis, in a new, expanded edition to honor the Maestro’s 90th birthday.