Itzhak Perlman

Undeniably the reigning virtuoso of the violin, Itzhak Perlman enjoys superstar status rarely afforded a classical musician. Beloved for his charm and humanity as well as his talent, he is treasured by audiences throughout the world who respond not only to his remarkable artistry but also to his irrepressible joy for making music.

Having performed with every major orchestra and at concert halls around the globe, Perlman was granted a Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama in 2015, a National Medal of Arts by President Clinton in 2000, and a Medal of Liberty by President Reagan in 1986. He has been honored with 16 Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Kennedy Center Honor, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and a Genesis Prize.

In the 2025–26 season, Perlman celebrates his 80th birthday season with a variety of programs. He brings his iconic PBS special In the Fiddler’s House to New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Dallas, Santa Barbara, and Davis in celebration of the program’s 30th anniversary. His orchestral engagements include Cinema Serenade programs with The Cleveland Orchestra, Louisville Orchestra, and Colorado Springs Philharmonic, as well as a play/conduct program with the San Francisco Symphony. Perlman also makes a special appearance with the Colorado Symphony at Carnegie Hall. He continues touring An Evening with Itzhak Perlman, which captures highlights of his career through narrative and multimedia elements intertwined with performance, and plays recitals across the US with longtime collaborator Rohan De Silva.

For over 30 years, Perlman has been devoted to music education, mentoring gifted young string players alongside his wife, Toby, in the Perlman Music Program, where he has taught each summer since its founding in 1994. With close to 800 alumni, the program is shaping the future landscape of classical music worldwide. Perlman also currently holds the Dorothy Richard Starling Foundation Chair at The Juilliard School.

Perlman has an exclusive series of classes with Masterclass.com, the premier online education company that enables access to the world’s most brilliant minds, as the company’s first classical-music presenter.