Pinchas Zukerman ( he, פנחס צוקרמן, born 16 July 1948) is an Israeli-American violinist, violist and conductor.
Life and career
Zukerman was born in
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...
, to Jewish parents and
Holocaust survivors
Holocaust survivors are people who survived the Holocaust, defined as the persecution and attempted annihilation of the Jews by Nazi Germany and its allies before and during World War II in Europe and North Africa. There is no universally acce ...
Yehuda and Miriam Lieberman Zukerman. He began his musical studies at age four, on the recorder. His father then taught him to play the clarinet and then the violin at age eight. Early studies were at the Samuel Rubin Academy of Music (now the
Buchmann-Mehta School of Music
The Buchmann-Mehta School of Music (BMSM) is an institute of higher education in Tel Aviv, Israel. The school is a part of the Faculty of the Arts of Tel Aviv University and is operated in collaboration with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) ...
).
Isaac Stern
Isaac Stern (July 21, 1920 – September 22, 2001) was an American violinist.
Born in Poland, Stern came to the US when he was 14 months old. Stern performed both nationally and internationally, notably touring the Soviet Union and China, and ...
and
Pablo Casals
Pau Casals i Defilló (Catalan: ; 29 December 187622 October 1973), usually known in English by his Castilian Spanish name Pablo Casals, learned of Zukerman's violin talent during a 1962 visit to Israel. Zukerman subsequently moved to the United States that year to study at the
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School ( ) is a Private university, private performing arts music school, conservatory in New York City. Established in 1905, the school trains about 850 undergraduate and graduate students in dance, drama, and music. It is widely ...
under Stern and
Ivan Galamian
Ivan Alexander Galamian ( hy, Իվան Ղալամեան; April 14, 1981) was an Armenian-American violin teacher of the twentieth century who was the violin teacher of many seminal violin players including Itzhak Perlman.
Biography
Galamian w ...
. He made his New York City debut in 1963. In 1967, he shared the
Leventritt Prize with the Korean violinist
Kyung-wha Chung
Kyung Wha Chung (born 26 March 1948) is a South Korean violinist.
Early years and education
Kyung Wha Chung was born in Seoul as the middle of the seven children in her family. Her father was an exporter, and her mother ran a restaurant.
She b ...
. His 1969 debut recordings of the concerti by Tchaikovsky (under the direction of
Antal Dorati, with the
London Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's orchestras, symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's ...
) and Mendelssohn (with
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein ( ; August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, pianist, music educator, author, and humanitarian. Considered to be one of the most important conductors of his time, he was the first America ...
and the
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic, officially the Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc., globally known as New York Philharmonic Orchestra (NYPO) or New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra, is a symphony orchestra based in New York City. It is ...
) launched a successful recording career of over 110 releases.
Zukerman launched his conducting career in 1970 with the
English Chamber Orchestra, and served as director of London's South Bank Festival from 1971 to 1974. In the US, Zukerman was music director of the
Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra from 1980 to 1987. He later directed the summer festivals of the
Dallas Symphony Orchestra
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra (DSO) is an American orchestra based in Dallas, Texas. Its principal performing venue is the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in the Arts District of downtown Dallas.
History
The orchestra traces its origins to ...
(1991–95) and the
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is an American symphony orchestra based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Baltimore SO has its principal residence at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, where it performs more than 130 concerts a year. In 2005, it bega ...
(1996–99). In 1999, he became Music Director of Canada's
National Arts Centre Orchestra (NACO) in
Ottawa
Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the c ...
, stepping down from the post in 2015. He has served as Principal Guest Conductor of the
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London, that performs and produces primarily classic works.
The RPO was established by Thomas Beecham in 1946. In its early days, the orchestra secured profitable ...
since 2009.
Zukerman is on the faculty at the
Manhattan School of Music
The Manhattan School of Music (MSM) is a private music conservatory in New York City. The school offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition, as well as a bachelor's in m ...
and is the head and founder of the Zukerman Performance Program at the school. His former students include
Koh Gabriel Kameda,
Julian Rachlin, and
Guy Braunstein. In 1999 he founded the
National Arts Centre
The National Arts Centre (NAC) (french: Centre national des Arts) is a performing arts organisation in Ottawa, Ontario, along the Rideau Canal. It is based in the eponymous National Arts Centre building.
History
The NAC was one of a number of ...
Young Artists Programme, which counts young musicians such as
Viviane Hagner
Viviane Hagner is a German violinist. She was born in Munich, Germany in 1977 (but grew up in Berlin), to a German father and Korean mother. She is sister to Nicole Hagner, the pianist.
Hagner started studying the piano at age 3 before switchi ...
,
Jessica Linnebach, and
Antal Szalai as alumni. In 2006 Zukerman began his involvement in the Rolex Artistic Mentorship programme.
In 2021, in a virtual
masterclass hosted by
the Juilliard School
The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Established in 1905, the school trains about 850 undergraduate and graduate students in dance, drama, and music. It is widely regarded as one of the most elit ...
, Zukerman angered many musicians, students and teachers by reinforcing racial and cultural stereotypes. He told two sisters of half Japanese descent that they were playing too perfectly and needed to add more "soy sauce" to their playing, and said that they needed to play more lyrically and that people in Korea and Japan do not sing. He later explained, "It's not in their DNA." Juilliard decided to not release the video for further viewing. Zukerman has apologized for his "culturally insensitive" comments and said he will do better in the future.
Zukerman performed in 2021 with the Reading Symphony Orchestra as a part of
Violins of Hope PA.
Zukerman plays the "Dushkin"
Guarneri del Gesù violin of 1742. His honors include the
King Solomon Award, the
National Medal of Arts
The National Medal of Arts is an award and title created by the United States Congress in 1984, for the purpose of honoring artists and patrons of the arts. A prestigious American honor, it is the highest honor given to artists and arts patrons ...
(presented by President Reagan in 1983), the Isaac Stern Award for Artistic Excellence, and an honorary doctorate from
Brown University
Brown University is a private research university in Providence, Rhode Island. Brown is the seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, founded in 1764 as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providenc ...
.
Personal life
Zukerman married
Eugenia Rich in 1968. The couple had two daughters together, opera singer
Arianna Zukerman
Arianna Zukerman (born 1972) is an American lyric soprano who has performed with some of the world's finest orchestras and opera companies. Her voice was described in ''The Washington Post'' as "remarkable" combining the "range, warmth and facility ...
and blues/folk musician
Natalia Zukerman
Natalia Zukerman (born June 25, 1975) is an American artist and musician. She blends genres of blues, jazz, bluegrass and folk.
Personal life
Zukerman was born in Manhattan, the daughter of violinist/violist/conductor Pinchas Zukerman and fl ...
. They frequently appeared together in concert until their separation in 1983. Zukerman was then married to actress
Tuesday Weld from 1985 to 1998. He and Weld owned homes in
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe ( ; , Spanish for 'Holy Faith'; tew, Oghá P'o'oge, Tewa for 'white shell water place'; tiw, Hulp'ó'ona, label= Northern Tiwa; nv, Yootó, Navajo for 'bead + water place') is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. The name “S ...
and
Montauk, New York
Montauk ( ) is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the Town of East Hampton in Suffolk County, New York, on the eastern end of the South Shore of Long Island. As of the 2020 United States census, the CDP's population was 4,318.
The ...
, which they bought after the
murder-suicide of its previous owners, soap opera actress Gwyda Donhowe and Broadway producer Norman Kean. Zukerman and his third wife, cellist
Amanda Forsyth
Amanda Forsyth (born 12 October 1966) is a Canadian cellist and the former principal cellist of the National Arts Centre Orchestra.
Biography
Daughter of composer Malcolm Forsyth, Forsyth came to Canada from South Africa at age 2 and began play ...
, have been married since 2004 and primarily reside in Manhattan. They often appear as soloists together.
Recordings
His recordings have received 21
Grammy
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
nominations, and two Grammy wins.
He has collaborated with filmmaker
Christopher Nupen
Christopher Nupen (30 September 1934 – 19 February 2023) was a South African-born filmmaker based in the United Kingdom specialising in biographical documentaries of musicians.
Early life and education
Nupen was born in South Africa on 30 Sep ...
on several projects, and was the subject of Nupen's "Pinchas Zukerman: Here to Make Music" documentary of 1974. In 2003 he founded a string quintet, the
Zukerman Chamber Players
The Zukerman Chamber Players is a world-renowned chamber ensemble led by violinist and violist Pinchas Zukerman. Formed in 2003, they have performed over 40 concerts around the world and recorded four CDs.
The ensemble comprises Pinchas Zukerman ( ...
, which has released three CD recordings in addition to its roster of live performances.
Discography
*2015: Brahms: Double concerto - Symphony No. 4 (Analekta), AN2 8782
*2016: Baroque Treasury (Analekta), AN2 8783
*2016:
Vaughan Williams &
Elgar -
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London, that performs and produces primarily classic works.
The RPO was established by Thomas Beecham in 1946. In its early days, the orchestra secured profitable ...
(
Decca Decca may refer to:
Music
* Decca Records or Decca Music Group, a record label
* Decca Gold, a classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group
* Decca Broadway, a musical theater record label
* Decca Studios, a recording facility in We ...
)
References
Sources
*Boris Schwarz: ''Great Masters of the Violin. From Corelli and Vivaldi to Stern, Zukerman and Perlman''. Simon and Schuster, New York 1983.
*Darryl Lyman: ''Great Jews in Music''. J. D. Publishers, Middle Village, NY 1986.
*Stanley Sadie, H. Wiley Hitchcock (Ed.): ''The new Grove dictionary of American music''. Grove's Dictionaries of Music, New York, N.Y 1986.
*Kurtz Myers: ''Index to record reviews 1984-1987''. G.K. Hall, Boston, Ma. 1989.
*Alan Rich: ''Masters of Music: Great artists at work''. Preface by Nicolas Slonimsky, foreword by Isaac Stern, photographs by James Arkatov. Capra Press, Santa Barbara, Ca. 1990.
External links
*
*
*
*
Profileat
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic, officially the Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc., globally known as New York Philharmonic Orchestra (NYPO) or New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra, is a symphony orchestra based in New York City. It is ...
Profileat Canada's
National Arts Centre Orchestra
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zukerman, Pinchas
Israeli classical violinists
Male classical violinists
Israeli classical violists
Israeli conductors (music)
Jewish classical violinists
Jewish classical musicians
Jewish American classical musicians
Jewish Israeli musicians
Manhattan School of Music faculty
Leventritt Award winners
Grammy Award winners
Honorary Members of the Royal Academy of Music
Juilliard School alumni
Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School alumni
Israeli people of Polish-Jewish descent
Performing arts pages with videographic documentation
1948 births
Living people
21st-century conductors (music)
21st-century classical violinists
21st-century American male musicians
21st-century American Jews
Deutsche Grammophon artists
Angel Records artists
RCA Records artists
Philips Records artists
21st-century American violinists