Itzhak Perlman, violin, and Rohan de Silva, piano

Undeniably the reigning virtuoso of the violin, Itzhak Perlman enjoys superstar status rarely afforded a classical musician. Born in Israel in 1945, Perlman completed his initial training at the Academy of Music in Tel Aviv. An early recipient of an America-Israel Cultural Foundation scholarship, he came to New York and soon propelled to national recognition with an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1958. He has received numerous awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015, a Kennedy Center Honor in 2003, the National Medal of Arts in 2000, and a Medal of Liberty in 1986. Longtime collaborator Rohan de Silva has performed with Perlman and other violin greats in venues and festivals around the world.