Sold-out concert by famed violin virtuoso

ISTANBUL - Anatolia News Agency

Itzhak Perlman performs on the stage with his $20,000 violin.

World-renowned violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman, perceived as one of the best violin players of the 20th and 21st centuries, performed a concert on May 28 at the Istanbul Congress Center. The virtuoso was accompanied by famous pianist Rohan de Silva. The concert was attended by more than 3,000 people.

At the concert, Perlman performed his works on his $20,000 violin, an antique Soil Stradivarius violin from 1714, which was once owned by Yehudi Menuhin and is considered to be one of the finest violins made during Stradivari’s “golden period.”

Perlman, who is also known for his musical performances in movies such as “Schindler’s List” and “Scent of a Woman,” has received four Emmy Awards and fifteen Grammy awards.

“I have been playing the same instrument for 26 years. This violin is not made of gold, but it is as precious as gold,” Perlman said at a press conference held yesterday morning.

Also attending the conference, famous pianist Silva, who has been playing with Perlman for 14 years, said she began taking piano lessons in 1951 and Perlman was one of her teachers. “He was both a piano and violin master,” she added.