This transcript has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
CL: L’Esperance: Itzhak Perlman, what a pleasure and an honor it is to have you on Classical KC. Thank you so much for joining us.
IP: Perlman: My pleasure. Nice to be here.
CL: Well, in Kansas City, there are beginning string and orchestra students carrying their cases to and from school. So I'm wondering what advice would you give to those young students listening now who might be getting a little frustrated finding their way around a violin or a cello for the very first time?
IP: Practice slowly. I always give that advice to everybody. It doesn't even matter whether they're beginners or the more advanced, practicing slowly is key and the other thing is that you need to know what you want to practice for. It's not just putting in the time, but it's organized and having actual challenges to what you're practicing for.
What are you trying to accomplish? It should not be thoughtless. But the important thing is everything is slowly. I always say and I keep repeating, if you practice slowly, you forget slowly. In other words, you retain more. If you do it fast and you think that is good the next day, you need to practice again.
CL: That's so important for them to hear from you because when we watch you play, we can see that it looks natural and it's lightning fast and it seems like it's always been that way. So it's very important to hear that message of strategizing your approach to music.
You have achieved the very highest mark of success according to my kids, by appearing on Sesame Street. I'm wondering how many kids have made violins out of tissue boxes inspired by those appearances. What's your view on the young classical music talent of today? Is the music in good hands?
IP: The music is in fantastic hands. My wife started this program called the Perlman Music Program, which is for young, talented string players. This summer was our 30th year. I get to hear the level of what's going on there musically, and it's very, very high. I mean, kids are playing absolutely fantastically. I think the level is getting higher and higher.
CL: Oh, that's wonderful. That gives us great hope, doesn't it?
IP: This summer, we had close to one hundred kids auditioning, and we only had like four opening spaces. It was very difficult to make a decision as to who to pick, because out of the hundred, there were at least sixty kids on a level that we could accept. We had to really dig deep to who do we really want to join us.
It's a very good problem to have.
CL: Your concert in Kansas City is dedicated to Klezmer music, but you've said that you were a little apprehensive about playing Klezmer initially. Why is that?
IP: Because I never tried it. I wasn't sure that I would be able to do it because I just never had the experience. But the thing is that I had the music in my ear, so I tried it with some of the groups. It felt very, very natural for me to do it. It didn't take me long to realize that I was having a great time and that things were going very well. And so here we are.
CL: You have said that music is something that helps heal. What is it about music that you think that helps us humans physically and mentally during tough times?
IP: Yeah, absolutely. There is an emotional element. I consider myself very, very lucky that I'm able to actually cry when I listen to something. Is it harmonically or whatever it is that it does? It's inexplicable.
But the fact is that it does help when times are difficult. When you listen to a concert, it gives you a little bit of help emotionally to deal with problems.
CL: As you look back at your incredible legacy, what gives you hope?
IP: I'm hoping that music will continue to be the international language and that it would sort of be more dominant than what's been going on right now. Usually music is the barometer as to when things get a little bit better. If you have relationships between countries, for example, and if diplomatic relations warm up, the first thing that happens is that you have an exchange with symphony orchestras.
They go on tour to play in places that they didn't play before. Music is always there. I'm just hoping that it will continue to affect what's going on. All I can do is hope.
CL: Itzhak Perlman, what a thrill having you on Classical KC. Thank you so much.
IP: It's my pleasure. Thank you very, very, much.
Itzhak Perlman performs “In the Fiddler’s House” on Sunday, September 29th at 5pm for the Harriman-Jewell Series. More information can be found at hjseries.org.
