Marechal started cello lessons as a young child and made his public debut at ten. He studied at the Paris Conservatoire under Jules Leopold-Loeb, and won first prize at the age of fifteen with the Davidov Second Concerto. He graduated at the age of nineteen.
He joined the Lamoreaux Orchestra as the deputy principal cellist and, before long, as the principal. A benefit of this employment was that well-known conductors frequently appeared as guests with it, and Marechal had a chance to observe their different podium styles and interpretations.
He entered military service when ...