Pinchas Zukerman
An Israeli-American virtuoso whose profound, golden-toned musicianship on violin and viola has captivated global audiences for over half a century.
Born 1948 (age 78)·Israeli-American violinist, violist and conductor·Birthday: July 16·Baby Boomers
Biography
Pinchas Zukerman's life changed at fourteen when Isaac Stern and Pablo Casals heard his audition tape and championed his talent. From that moment, the young prodigy from Tel Aviv was launched onto the world's great stages. He became known not just for his technical command, but for the rich, vocal warmth he drew from his instruments—a sound that seemed to speak directly to the heart of the music. While maintaining a relentless international solo career, Zukerman dedicated immense energy to teaching, believing the passing on of tradition to be a sacred duty. He held long-term music directorships with orchestras in Ottawa and London, shaping their sounds with his exacting ear. More than a soloist, he is a consummate chamber musician, a passionate conductor, and a mentor, embodying the idea of the complete musical citizen.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Pinchas was born in 1948, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Pinchas Was Born
The biggest hits of 1948
#1 Movie
The Red Shoes
Best Picture
Hamlet
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Pinchas's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1948Born
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1953Started school
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1961Became a teenager
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1964Could drive
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1966Could vote
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1969Turned 21
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1978Turned 30
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 40
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 50
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 60
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 70
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 78 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the prestigious Leventritt Competition in 1967, which catapulted his international solo career.
- Served as Music Director of the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa for 16 seasons, greatly elevating its profile.
- Founded the Zukerman Performance Program at the Manhattan School of Music to mentor young chamber musicians.
- Recorded over 100 albums, earning 21 Grammy nominations and two Grammy Awards.
- Appointed as the Principal Guest Conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London in 2009.
Did You Know?
He is married to cellist Amanda Forsyth, who was the principal cellist of the NAC Orchestra during his tenure.
He is a dedicated teacher and has taught at institutions like the Manhattan School of Music and the Royal Academy of Music.
He made his American debut in 1969, substituting last minute for an ill Itzhak Perlman with the New York Philharmonic.
He is known for using a 1742 Guarneri del Gesù violin.
He frequently performs and records in a trio with his wife, Amanda Forsyth, and pianist Marc Neikrug.
“Music is the one language that everybody understands, without translation.”
