Itzhak Perlman (born August 31, 1945)
is an Israeli violinist. He is regarded as one of the great violinists
of the late 20th century, and is certainly one of the most famous.
Perlman was born in Tel Aviv. He contracted polio at the age of
four, leaving him on crutches, and meaning he has to play the violin
seated even today. He studied at the Academy of Music there. He
moved to the United States to study at the Juilliard School, and
made his debut at Carnegie Hall in 1963.
Soon, Perlman began to tour extensively. He has made a large number
of records, and from the 1970s began to appear on shows such as
The Tonight Show and Sesame Street, as well as playing at a number
of functions at the White House.
As well as playing and recording the classical music for which
he is best known, Perlman has also played jazz and klezmer. Recently,
he has also begun to conduct, taking the post of Principal Guest
Conductor at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
Perlman has received many honors, including Kennedy Center Honors
in 2003.
An outstanding version of Nicolo Paganini's 24 Caprices is among his
most known recordings.
Violinists