Itzhak Perlman – His Polio Didn’t Stop Him

Itzhak Perlman – Another Inspiring Handicap Success

Itzhak Perlman was born in Tel Aviv on August 31, 1945. At the age of four he was stricken with polio, which caused permanent paralysis of his legs, leaving him to rely on crutches and braces for the rest of his life.

He is regarded as one of the greatest violinists of the late 20th century, and is certainly among the most famous.

Early days

Perlman contracted polio at the age of four. He made a good recovery, learning to walk with the use of crutches.

Despite his handicap, young Itzhak began showing talent on the violin, and his father Chaim, a barber, quickly recognized his son’s unusual abilities and arranged for lessons for him at the Music Academy of Tel Aviv. Soon Itzhak began giving concerts and attracting attention throughout Israel. American television talent agent Ed Sullivan learned of Perlman’s abilities and brought the 13-year-old to New York for a 1959 appearance on his Caravan of Stars show, where the young virtuoso continued to attract attention. He enrolled at the Juilliard School of Music, studying with Ivan Galamian and Dorothy DeLay.

Who is Itzhak Perlman?

He made his official debut in 1963 at Carnegie Hall with a performance of the F sharp minor Wieniawski Concerto and went on to win the Leventritt Competition, one of whose prizes was an appearance with the New York Philharmonic, then led by Leonard Bernstein.

After these triumphs Perlman was taken on by impresario Sol Hurok and given a heavy schedule of concerts in the United States, Europe, Asia, and Israel over the coming years. He also began making recordings with RCA and would eventually sign contracts with EMI, Sony, Teldec, and others. Over the next three decades, his recordings would include the concertos of Beethoven, Brahms, Sibelius, Mendelssohn, Berg, the two by Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky’s Piano Trio, Dvorak’s Sonatina, Paganini’s Caprices, and many others.

Unstoppable success…

He returned to Israel in 1965 for a season of concerts, making his British debut the same year at Festival Hall with the London Symphony Orchestra. Perlman’s fame grew rapidly in the 1970s and he began appearing regularly on television programs, like the children’s show Sesame Street, The Tonight Show, David Letterman, and various specials on the PBS network.

Never forgetting his early encouragement, from his teachers as well as from Isaac Stern, Perlman from the beginning of his career made a habit of encouraging young talent and has over the years held a variety of teaching posts, including master classes at London’s South Bank Summer Music Series beginning in 1968, the Meadowbrooks Music Festival in 1970, and close involvement, alongside his wife Toby, in Perlman Music program for young people, beginning in 1998.

Disability means failure?

He also became a frequent performer at White House events, especially during the Reagan administration. In 1986, President Reagan awarded him a Medal of Liberty, an award recognizing the contributions of foreign-born Americans. By 1990 Perlman had performed with virtually every major orchestra in the world and with almost every important conductor. He also signed a new contract that year with EMI, the label for whom he has made the most recordings

Achievements

On the Fourth of July, 1986, Perlman was one of twelve first-generation Americans to be honored with the Medal of Liberty in recognition and appreciation of his contributions to the United States. In December 2000, President Bill Clinton awarded Perlman the National Medal of Arts.

It’s Itzhak Perlman’s passion for music that recommends him to the world. The joy of making music has seldom been translated so well and it is this combination of talent and personal charm which makes him such an outstanding violinist and the greatest violin virtuoso of our time.

“What’s Your Excuse?…”