Legendary Violinist Itzhak Perlman Joins BYU Philharmonic in Sold Out Concert
Meeting a musical hero is rare, but performing alongside one is even more improbable. Thanks to BYU’s BRAVO! Series, students in the BYU School of Music’s Philharmonic Orchestra had the unique opportunity to perform with legendary violinist Itzhak Perlman in an unforgettable two-night concert event.
On October 11–12, 2023, the BYU Philharmonic Orchestra performed with Perlman in two sold-out performances at the new Music Building Concert Hall. The orchestra was led by previous director Kory Katseanes and current director Nathan Haines. Perlman performed with only one university orchestra this year — BYU’s.
Cellist Nathan Cox expressed his honor at Perlman’s choice to perform at BYU, calling it a high compliment and a meaningful experience for aspiring musicians. Caroline Durham, the orchestra’s concertmaster, recalled the rewarding experience of being fully prepared and able to focus entirely on Perlman during the performance.
Perlman, a household name in classical music, has earned 16 Grammy Awards and multiple distinctions, including his work on the Schindler’s List soundtrack. Durham shared that she grew up listening to his recordings and even drew inspiration from them in her own playing.
The concert featured Florence and Friends: Re-sounding Voices, a composition by Stephen Jones, in honor of the new concert hall, as well as Richard Strauss’s Suite from Der Rosenkavalier. After intermission, the orchestra joined Perlman for a performance of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E Minor, a piece Perlman famously performed on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1958.
Durham reflected, “It was an absolute honor to perform with such a musical giant," he said. "It was extremely inspiring and meaningful to experience firsthand his beauty of sound and the goodness in his heart."
For more information, check out the original article here.
