By Janet Ekstract ISTANBUL – Istanbul was the backdrop for a very special concert conducted by world-famous Israeli-American violinist and violist Pinchas Zukerman on April 27. Zukerman who has had an illustrious career in music for five decades with hundreds of performances worldwide, gave a short interview before the concert that shed light on some of his philosophy about classical music. He highlighted his love of the British composer Sir Edward Willam Elgar’s orchestral works that include Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, concertos for violin and cello as well as two symphonies. What makes Elgar unique is that he was completely self-taught and considered an original genius and as Zukerman pointed out was “good or better than Wagner.” Zukerman added: “You have to have the intellect of an Italian and the heart of a Jew to play Elgar’s music,” which was part of his performance with the Turkish orchestra. Zukerman emphasized that “learning the grammar of music is so crucial,” adding “You have so much in music with the five senses – underscoring the most important part “Where is your heart?” when you play an instrument and desire to convey something to an audience. But Zukerman is not just concerned about music, he’s also an advocate for peace in the Middle East.
In a June 28, 2018 article by The Jewish Independent, Zukerman reflected on the state of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As Zukerman has frequently stated in other interviews, he emphasized the need for peace: “After 70 years now, we need a piece of paper that calls for peace. I don’t care if you call it two states, three states, four states – we need peace. We need something that says: ‘I respect you as my neighbor. Let’s sit down, then, and start talking about it on equal grounds.’” Zuckerman also implored Israel’s government when he said: “The government of Israel should really look itself in the mirror every day and say: ‘Show respect, for God’s sake!’ Stop doing what you’re doing and just talk to them.’ The renown violinist’s message to Israel concluded: “You’ve got to stop this occupation: it is wrong. It is wrong for the people who live there. That doesn’t mean that one will have this and the other will have that. Just let’s have one document that calls for peace signing or a peace treaty of some sort: the place could just blossom no end. There are extraordinary peoples that live there.” His concert in Istanbul was brilliant and at the very end, he gave that same nod for peace in the Middle East with a heartfelt gesture to his chest and a concert full of endless rounds of applause.
Zukerman has done hundreds of performances with world-class orchestras and collaborations with some of the most prolific and prominent musicians of the 20th century including Isaac Stern, Daniel Barenboim, Itzhak Perlman and a host of others. He has served as chair of the Pinchas Zukerman Performance Program at the Manhattan School of Music for over 25 years as well as having taught at outstanding institutions throughout the U.K., Israel, China, Canada and many other countries.
