Young Man With A Guarneri

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Perlman introduces a protege to DSO audiences.

Danny Raskin • Nov. 5, 2004

DIANA LIEBERMAN

Special to the Jewish News

V

iolinist Giora Schmidt,
who performs Nov.
17-20 with the Detroit
Symphony Orchestra, is a bit
young to be standing in front
of a world-class orchestra,
wearing a tuxedo and per-
forming the Samuel Barber

Violin Concerto.
Schmidt would argue that
he may be young -- but he's
not that young.
A star pupil of violinist
Itzhak Perlman, the 21-year-
old Schmidt graduated from
New York's Juilliard School
last May. In the past two
years, he has soloed in the
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
with the Chicago Symphony
and performed everywhere
from the Southeast Iowa
Symphony to Swarthmore
College to Tel Aviv University.
He was featured in the
Giora Schmidt spends at least a month in Israel
"Summer" concerto of
each
year.
in
a
tele-
Four
Seasons
Vivaldi's
vised Kennedy Center Honors
tribute to Perlman; performed
with Perlman and violinist
Although he began playing the
Pinchas Zukerman at the National
violin at 4 years of age, Schmidt did-
Arts Center in Ottawa, Canada; and
n't decide to devote his life to the
played the Barber concerto last sum-
instrument until he was about 15.
mer with the Israel Philharmonic.
"It's better this way," he says.
He makes his New York recital
"When you're 9 years old and people
debut Feb. 5, 2005, at the
throw stuff your way, you can't even
Metropolitan Museum of Art.
process it. Basically, you shouldn't
"I was never considered a prodigy;
try to jump over a bridge before you
I was always considered 'age-appro-
jump over a crack in the road." .
priate,"' says the young violinist.
Last year, Schmidt received a 2003
Schmidt has been surrounded by
Avery Fisher Career Grant, designed
music all his life. His parents, Dov
to assist instrumentalists judged to
and Michal Schmidt, performed
have the potential for an illustrious
with the Philadelphia Opera
solo career. Previous winners of the
Company, Dov as a violinist and
$15,000 grant have included violin-
Michal as a cellist and pianist. The
ists Joshua Bell and Sarah Chang,
couple had emigrated from Israel
cellist Carter Brey and clarinetist
before Giora was born, and their
Richard Stoltzman.
son, who speaks fluent Hebrew,
After studying at Juilliard's
spends at least a month in Israel
preparatory division with the late
each year, mostly in Haifa.
Dorothy De Lay, who has trained
Giora — pronounced with a hard
scores of violin virtuosi, Schmidt
G, as in glockenspiel— has two
began working with Itzhak Perlman,
younger sister's, Dafna, 16, and
performing with the older violinist
Abigail, 10.

-

in Israel, Canada and the
United States.
Since then, Schmidt has
become known as a protege of
Perlman, who is also DSO prin-
cipal guest conductor. In 1998,
the young violinist formed a
piano trio with cellist Zuill
Bailey and Perlman's daughter,
pianist Navah Perlman. And,
for the past five summers, he
has taken part in the Perlman
Music Program, a six-week
summer workshop in
Easthampton, N.Y.
For Schmidt's DSO debut,
Perlman will conduct the
orchestra in a program that also
includes Roman Carnival
Overture by Berlioz and the

Pathetique Symphony (Symphony
No. 6 in b minor), by
Tchaikovsky.
Since he plans to keep playing
the violin his whole life,
Schmidt considers each per-
forming opportunity "a stop on
the journey."
"I really appreciate it," he
says. "I'm grateful for every time
I walk on to the stage." ❑

Giora Schmidt will perform the
Samuel Barber Violin Concerto
with the Detroit Symphony
Orchestra under the direction of
principal guest conductor Itzhak
Perlman 8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov.
17; 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18; and
8:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20. $30-
$114. (313) 576-5111 or
wwvv.detroitsymphony.com
Special offer: Because of the men-
toring relationship between the
conductor and soloist, the DSO is
offering free tickets to youth men-
toring organizations for the
Wednesday performance. Among
the organizations invited to partic-
ipate are the Boys and Girls Clubs
of America, Alternatives for Girls,
VIP Mentoring, Metro Detroit
Promise, Student'Mentor Partners
and Mentor Michigan. To include
your organization, contact the
DSO at (313) 576-5129.

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