An honorary degree for a renowned musician

An honorary degree for a renowned musician

By Communications Staff

November 26, 2014

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One of the world’s most celebrated violinists will be receiving an honorary degree from Queen’s.

Pinchas Zukerman will receive an honorary degree on Nov. 29th. (Photo provided)

Pinchas Zukerman, a renowned musician and conductor who also serves as music director for the National Arts Centre (NAC), will receive his degree in conjunction with a performance at the Isabel on Nov. 29, rather than at a convocation ceremony where such degrees are normally conferred. Mr. Zukerman’s busy performance schedule prohibited him from attending one of the five fall convocation ceremonies. His 2014-15 schedule includes more than 100 performances worldwide.

Born in Israel in 1948, Mr. Zukerman arrived in the United States in 1962 where he studied at The Julliard School. After establishing a career as a concert violinist, he turned his attention to conducting, where he has developed an equally outstanding reputation. Mr. Zukerman has led many of the world’s top ensembles, and is currently serving his sixth season as principal guest conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London, U.K.

Among his many accolades, Mr. Zukerman has been awarded the National Medal of Arts, was the first recipient of the Isaac Stern Award for Artistic Excellence, and was the co-winner of the International Levintritt Competition, a highly prestigious international competition for classical pianists and violinists, which he won when he was just 19 years old.

Mr. Zukerman’s extensive discography contains more than 100 titles, and includes two Grammy awards and 21 Grammy award nominations.

He has also been celebrated for his commitment to music education. Mr. Zukerman chairs the Pinchas Zukerman Performance Program at the Manhattan School of Music, where he has pioneered the use of distance-learning technology in the arts. In Canada, he has established the NAC Institute for Orchestra Studies and the Summer Music Institute, which encompasses the Young Arts, Conductors and Composers programs.

Mr. Zukerman will perform with the Zukerman Trio (cellist Amanda Forsythe and pianist Angela Cheng) at the Isabel  Saturday, Nov. 29. The performance is sold out.