Itzhak Perlman

One of the most important and visible classical artists of the 20th century, Itzhak Perlman gives performances marked by a balance of technical prowess and artistic sensitivity. Born in Israel, he began playing the violin at a young age, performed on the Ed Sullivan show at 13 and was a student at Juilliard. He made his official debut in 1963 at Carnegie Hall and shortly thereafter performed with the New York Philharmonic, then led by Leonard Bernstein. Helped by the management of Sol Hurok, he embarked on an active schedule of international solo performances. In the 1970s he became a fixture on television, an international celebrity and a frequent performer at the White House. Over the next 30 years he performed with every major symphony and conductor in the world and recorded a series of definitive performances of violin repertoire.