Itzhak Perlman is one of the Israeli artists who rank among the world’s foremost musicians. Born in Tel-Aviv in 1945, he studied the violin from the age of 5 with Rivka Goldgart at the “Shulamith” Conservatory and later at the Tel-Aviv Academy of Music. While studying he appeared frequently in Israel, and at the age of 13 he was chosen to appear on Ed Sullivan’s coast-to-coast TV programme in the USA. Following this he continued his studies in New York at the Juilliard School of Music with Ivan Galamian and Dorothy DeLay, aided by scholarships from the America-Israel Cultural Foundation and Juilliard. He made his debut at Carnegie Hall in 1963 and the following year won the coveted Leventritt Award, which catapulted him to a brilliant international career. Since then he has appeared throughout the world under the baton of the greatest conductors with the world’s major orchestras, in recitals and in chamber music concerts. His numerous recordings and appearances on popular TV shows have garnered a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for excellence in the recording arts, 15 Grammy Awards and 4 Emmy Awards. In recent years he focuses on conducting and has become more actively involved in educational activities. His many awards and distinctions include the Kennedy Center Honor, celebrating his distinguished achievements and contributions to the cultural and educational life in the USA (2003), honorary degrees from Harvard, Yale, Brandeis, Roosevelt, Yeshiva and Hebrew universities, and an honorary doctorate and a centennial medal on the occasion of Juilliard’s 100th commencement ceremony (2005). President Reagan honored him with a Medal of Liberty in 1986, and in December 2000, President Clinton awarded Mr. Perlman the National Medal of Arts. Itzhak Perlman regularly returns to Israel for appearances with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and has also performed with the IPO on its historic tours of Poland, the former USSR, China and India.