From 1958 until his death, he taught at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where he held the title of Distinguished Professor.

[2] Starker was born in Budapest to a father of Polish descent and a mother who had immigrated from the Russian Empire, both Jewish.

He entered the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest to study with Adolf Schiffer and made his debut there at age 11.

In his autobiography, Starker wrote that at the age of 13 he played Dohnányi's Konzertstuck for Cello for the composer (who was then the director of the Academy), who accompanied him at the piano.

Because of his youth, Starker escaped the tragic fate of his older brothers, who were pressed into forced labor and eventually murdered by the Nazis.

[6] Starker emigrated to the United States in 1948 to become principal cellist of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra under Antal Doráti.

[11] In 1953, Starker became principal cellist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra when Fritz Reiner became the music director.

[14] He recorded the Bach solo cello suites five times, most recently for RCA Victor Red Seal in 1997 for which he won a Grammy Award.

He had concerti written for him by David Baker, Antal Doráti, Bernhard Heiden, Jean Martinon, Miklós Rózsa, and Robert Starer.

He eschewed the wide vibrato favored by some of his peers—which he viewed as a cover for poor intonation—and was known for his patrician stage presence, preferring to let the music do the emoting.

[1] He once refused to perform a concert in Columbia, South Carolina, that he was supposed to play because he was not allowed to smoke his "pre-concert cigarette" backstage.