Gaylord Yost began his lifelong love affair with the violin as an elementary school student in Ohio. At the age of 15, he was so advanced in his abilities that he became the principal violin teacher in his community and had a class of eight students. After studying in Toledo and Detroit, he traveled to Berlin, Germany in 1906 where he studied with Issaye Barmas, a Russian violinist, who lived there and taught and performed for Germany’s audiences. Upon his return to the US, he taught violin in Indianapolis. During this period, he made one concert tour of Europe, one of Central America, and three in the US, from coast to coast. He was the first violinist to give an entire prorgram of American works.