Itzhak Perlman was born on 31 August 1945, in Tel Aviv, Israel, to Polish parents Shoshana and Chaim Perlman. He is an Israeli-American violinist, conductor and pedagogue, one of the world’s most renowned classical musicians.
So just how wealthy is Itzhak Perlman? According to sources in late 2016, Perlman has accumulated a fortune of over $10 million, his wealth having been earned during his musical career which began in the late ‘60s.
Itzhak Perlman Net Worth $10 Million Dollars
Perlman became interested in playing the violin at an early age; when he was four years old, his legs became permanently paralyzed due to polio, however, he managed to maintain his mobility with crutches and went on to take violin classes at the Schulamit Academy, and eventually enroll in the Academy of Music in Tel Aviv. In the late ’50s he appeared on “The Ed Sullivan Show” and soon after moved to the USA to attend the Juilliard School of Music in New York City. He made his professional debut playing Wienawski F-sharp minor Concerto at Carnegie Hall in 1963, and the following year he won the prestigious Leventritt Competition, securing performances as a soloist with major orchestras, such as the New York Philharmonic, paving his way to fame and fortune.
Over the following decades, Perlman has risen through the ranks to become a most recognized figure in the realm of classical music, performing with numerous acclaimed musicians, orchestras and conductors, and being featured in various television shows and programs. He went on to rack up performances all around the world, eventually establishing himself as one of the world’s best classical musicians. His net worth has been boosted considerably.
Perlman’s extensive discography includes the works of classical legends such as Wolfgang Mozart, Antonin Dvorak, Antonio Vivaldi and Ludwig van Beethoven. He has performed with many other acclaimed musicians, such as Yo-Yo Ma, Isaac Stern and Yuri Temirkanov, and at several functions at the White House, such as playing at the state dinner attended by Queen Elizabeth II in 2007 and at the inauguration ceremony for Barack Obama in 2009.
In 2000, Perlman began his conducting career, since when he has performed as conductor with numerous orchestras, serving as principal guest conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and as music advisor to the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra. In 2007, he was appointed as artistic director and principal conductor of the Westchester Philharmonic, all positions adding to his net worth.
Additionally, Perlman has created acclaimed film music, such as that used in “Schindler’s List”, “Memoirs of a Geisha” and “Hero”. He has also worked as a teacher, at places such as the Conservatory of Music at Brooklyn College, the Juilliard School and at the Perlman Music Program, founded by his wife. His worldwide fame, his extraordinary talent and varied career has enabled him to amass significant wealth.
Throughout his career, Perlman has earned numerous awards and honors, such as the Medal of Liberty from President Ronald Reagan, the National Medal of Arts awarded by President Bill Clinton, numerous Grammy and Emmy Awards, and honorary degrees from various institutions including Harvard, Yale, Brandeis and Roosevelt Universities.
In his private life, Perlman has been married to violinist Toby Friedlander since 1967. The couple has five children.
Perlman has been involved in philanthropy for many years, holding many public speeches and unsurprisingly performing benefit concerts to support the disabled and for the eradication of polio.
