 At the age of five, young Oistrakh began his studies of violin and viola as a pupil of Pyotr Stolyarsky.In his studies with Stolyarsky he became very good friends with Iosif Brodsky, Nathan Milstein and other violinists with whom he collaborated numerous times after achieving fame since their beginnings as fellow students at the Stolyarsky School.In 1914, at the age of six, Oistrakh performed his debut concert.