Either as a result of auditioning for a synagogue choir or because a neighbor, who overheard him singing, had Igor audition for a local choir director, his singing drew the attention of Viktor Fuchs, one of the most distinguished voice teachers in Vienna. Though the young man’s scruffy and emaciated appearance was repellent, Fuchs would say of the audition years later, “I knew this boy had something, for he was so tenacious in his desire to sing.” As a result, in 1925, Fuchs offered Igor free lessons with Robert Traniewsky, one of his assistants. After recovering from a bout with tuberculosis, Gorin studied at the Vienna Music Academy from 1926 to 1929, studying piano, music theory and formal voice training.
Gorin’s idol during this period was Italian baritone Mattia Battistini. He resolved that he wanted his voice to sound like Battistini’s and made a concentrated effort to master the bel canto singing style.
Gorin became head cantor at the Leopoldstrasse Synagogue in Vienna and his fame as a cantor became widespread. One of the rabbis who heard him arranged for Gorin to make his operatic debut as Ping in a Swiss performance of Turandot. He subsequently joined a Czech opera touring company and finally the Vienna Volksoper in 1930. His roles included Tonio, Germont, Figaro, Rigoletto, Renato, Wolfram, Escamillo and Valentin.