Happy Birthday, Itzhak Perlman!

Today is Israeli-American violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman’s 79th birthday!

A protégé of Ivan Galamian and Dorothy DeLay, Mr Perlman is widely regarded as one the greatest violinists of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Having performed with every major orchestra and at concert halls around the globe, Perlman has been honored with 16 Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Kennedy Center Honor, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and a Genesis Prize.

Perlman has received multiple distinctions from U.S. Presidents over the years: A Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nation’s highest civilian honor, by President Obama in 2015, a Kennedy Center Honor in 2003, a National Medal of Arts by President Clinton in 2000, and a Medal of Liberty by President Reagan in 1986.

In 1994, Toby Perlman (Perlman's wife) and Suki Sandler launched the Perlman Music Program, a summer camp for gifted string musicians aged 12 to 18. Over time, it has expanded into a year-round program. Students can receive coaching from Perlman and perform at venues such as Sutton Place Synagogue and local public schools. The program focuses on fostering collaboration, encouraging students to practice together and build a network of like-minded peers.

He currently performs on the 1714 'Soil' Stradivarius, formerly owned by Yehudi Menuhin, and serves a teaching position on the faculty at The Juilliard School.

Three things you might not know about Mr. Perlman:

• He has 2 Portuguese Waterdogs named 'Muttek' and 'Boychik'
• He’s a wine connoisseur and enjoys a good Burgundy
• He’s a huge Mets fan and has performed the national anthem at Citi Field

ITZHAK PERLMAN | "FLIGHT OF THE BUMBLEBEE" | THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW | 1959